Kate Roth
by Hundius
Summary: The story starts in the middle of the Arafuga Sea about five years after the explosion of the dirty bomb. Nikki meets and old friend, but it's not what she had expected. Reviews are welcome! Mind, that I've made a little twist to the story line of Sea Patrol. Jim and Swain survived the explosion! Thanks to Gisou1950 for beta reading.
1. Chapter 1 Pulling ranks

Commander Kate Roth

 **Chapter 1 Pulling ranks**

The Hammersley was wrestling through a rough storm in the Arafuga Sea. Waves of salt water, foam and rain splashed against the windscreen. The ship pitched and rolled like mad.

The captain sat firmly squeezed in her chair.

Another hour and the worst is over.

Her XO, Jack Hogan, nickname Dundee, had proposed to get them a brew and she hoped that there would still something in the mug when he would come back at the bridge.

She couldn't help herself, but smiled when she thought about him, a handsome guy.

He had a normal size and a tanned skin after spending his days in the sun.

She heard someone stumble over and a muffled curse whereby she turned her head to look.

"Boss, here you go. Unfortunately you can follow my trail from the galley to here," he said when he came back on the bridge. Holding himself he offered her the mug.

She made a face when she saw the little coffee in the bottom of the mug.

"Thanks X for risking your life to get us a brew", she said with a smile.

"We shall drink a full one when we shall have gone out of this storm. Where's the time when I was trying to manage mugs in a storm like this to the bridge. "

 _When I finally arrived at the bridge with burned fingers, coffee on my suit, a bad temper, there was always the grateful smile of Mike Flynn. 'Thanks a lot Nikki or Nav'. That made me to forget all the preceding hiccups. I want to do that for my people also._

He looked at his captain and saw that she was continuing the conversation in herself. He smiled.

 _Lieutenant-commander Nikki Caetano is a good captain. There are worse. Take that bitch of a captain on the HMAS Darwin for example. My mate at ADFA who's now the artillery officer on board there told me by several occasions that nobody can do something good in her eyes. That makes people below deck grumpy and it is extremely difficult for the officers who are choosing the side of the crew, to find the appropriate balance._

Nikki had put her foot firmly against the windscreen while holding the mug with her both hands and she braced herself when she saw how the ship dived into another wave trough.

 _Shit, I'm hoping that that bit of coffee stays in the mug and that it's not going to explore my trousers!_

The Hammersley raised again.

 _Pfew, no spots. Nicole drink it out, now!_

She took a gulp.

 _That was good! It may stop now! That bloody storm lasts already for two hours! It's the worst since I'm commander. Commander. Almost 10 months now. It seems yesterday when I received my shoulder boards with two and a half band. It went smoothly. A third of the crew is still the same and Jack, my XO was already XO here for 3 months before I came on board. It's pleasant to work with him and I'm getting the impression that he likes me too. That was the first step! The next one was to build a team from this ship and I think that I'm on the right track. Ok, there are mistakes and misunderstandings, but that's learning._

Another swell.

All of a sudden they heard a scream and a smack followed by moaning. They looked at each other frowning.

"X, go and check what happened!", Nikki said to Jack.

"Aye".

A little later he was back on the bridge and grabbed the microphone.

"Medic to the main staircase. Medic to the main staircase."

Nikki frowned and threw a questioning glance at him.

He looked at her. "It's the Chef, he lost his balance on the highest step and slipped down. He has a broken leg."

She made a face. "Damn, bad luck for him! And for us as well ! He's our cook."

"As I don't know that!", he mumbled rolling his eyes.

She looked at him. "Don't make such an unhappy face. Organise a good alternative and I said a good. Last time when he was sick and Bird was on training we almost had a mutiny on board."

"Bird perhaps?" .

"That's an alternative, but she's the Swain's assistant ."

"You?" He said with a grin.

"Yeah, I know, you all appreciated my cooking results since the last day off on that tropical island, but it's not really a good one. "

"Although, your scampi were damn good."

"Flatterer. Not this time. Give it another try," she answered with a smirk.

"Shit!", she exclaimed as the coffee gushed over the edge and made brown spots on her trousers.

"Blame the storm", he deadpanned whereby he received her annoyed glance

"Where was I? Ah, the cook, well, next try?"

"Hmm", he said and he rubbed the back of his head.

 _Damn, who else? Anyhow I'll ask Bird. We will arrange something._

"X, you have the ship. I'll see Bird. And you'll have the time to find a cook" Nikki said and left her chair to work herself down to the ward.

After bouncing from one wall to the other she entered the ward and saw how Bird was splinting the Chef's leg. Higgins, their buffer held the chef on the bunk while a second held Bird to avoid that she saw every corner of the ward as well. She had put the poor cook an anaesthetic.

"How is it here?", she asked while she held the doorway.

"A fracture. He needs a surgery. I keep him under narcosis, but I can't keep on doing that. Can we reach a home port?", Bird answered to the point.

"It's too far, but I think one of the frigates is in the neighbourhood. I'll contact Navcom."

Nikki stumbled back.

At the bridge she looked at RO who was fiddling with his radio.

 _Apart from his promotion to petty officer he never changes. I think they put him at the inventory of the ship as well._

"RO, can you contact Navcom to ask for a medivac!."

"Aye ma'am."

A bit later a message from Navcom came in.

"Boss, Navcom says that there's no chopper available, but the HMAS Darwin is the closest and they've given the coordinates", RO said.

"No chopper? It sounds like we are in a developing country! But ok, the Darwin. That's at least something", she muttered.

"Ok, then. RO, send a message to the Darwin that we have someone with a broken leg who needs surgery and Jack, prepare a course to the HMAS Darwin. Tell me when we will meet each other."

"Aye boss", they answered her.

"The Darwin, that's the old Captain Lindsey, not?", she said to no one in special.

"That was a few months ago ma'am, he retired."

"Oh, and who is it now?", she wondered turning to her XO.

"Commander _Roth_ , boss," he answered and he almost spat out the word Roth.

"Roth?", she asked while she was thinking if she knew that person.

"Kate Roth, ma'am. She's recently, a couple of months ago, promoted and appointed on the Darwin."

"Ah! Kate! Yes of course! I can't get used to her last name. Wonderful. She has finally made it. Big ships were always her dream", Nikki said enthusiastically.

"Uh, you seem to know her?", he sounded suspiciously.

"Yeah, she was the XO here on board. We are friends. Although, it's a long time ago we've met each other again, which is a pity because I could get along very good with her."

Nikki shrugged, "Her marriage, my marriage, our jobs on different bases, it made it impossible to keep in touch".

"Friends? With her?", he asked surprised.

Nikki frowned.

"Anything wrong with it? You don't seem to be set up with her?"

"Sorry ma'am, maybe I may not say this. But there are quite some negative rumours about her."

"Come on X, if you say A, then you have to say B as well."

"They say she's acting very negative towards her crew."

"Strange, I don't know her like that. Anyhow, when we transfer the Chef, then I go to her. I want to see her again."

"You're sure? Do you really want to do that?" Jack sounded concerned.

"Jack, it's strange that you doubt a decision of me. But especially now, I must see what's going on on the Darwin!" she said fiercely.

"Ok, boss. Good luck."

She gave him a glare, "You little rascal. Have you already found a cook? Or shall I kidnap one from the Darwin?", she responded .

In response he lifted one eyebrow to look at her.

Meanwhile he has calculated the course.

"We will meet the Darwin at 1500 Hr."

"Fine."

At 3.00 pm they had met the Darwin. The storm was over and the sea was calming down again with a slow, but large swell. The Chef with his broken leg was being transferred to the Darwin without problems and Nikki accompanied them. The XO of the Darwin, Lieutenant-Commander Mark Thompson, was supervising the transfer and was a bit surprised to see the commander of the Hammersley coming on board.

"Lieutenant-Commander, welcome on board. I didn't know otherwise I had arranged a guard" He said ill-at-ease while saluting.

Nikki saluted back and recognized him.

"Mark ! That's long ago ! How are you?"

"Nikki ! That's what you call a big surprise. I didn't know you were the commander of a patrol boat." He said relieved with a smile while they shook hands.

"This is a bit unusual. When the captain hears there was no guard to welcome another commander, then…", he said waggling heavily with his hand.

"Hey Mark, chill! That's two times within two minutes that you telling me the same! I'm not an admiral you know and you can't hardly say that this is an aircraft carrier!", she said pointing with thumb over her shoulder to the Hammersley."

"What brings you here? ", he asked still ill-at-ease.

"I'm coming for Kate", Nikki said disarmingly.

"Uh? The captain? You're sure?" He asked surprised and concerned.

Nikki stopped and looked at the unhappy face of the XO. "Mark, what's going on here? My XO acted also that strange about Kate and you too. You look like you've to appear at a court martial. Kate and I are friends you know." Nikki answered scowling.

"Friends? _She_? Goddamn, then you must be extreme special. I think that _that_ word is _not_ in her dictionary. Anyhow, be careful Nikki."

Nikki threw a questioning glance at Mark and continued her walk to the bridge while Mark was following her.

When she arrived at the bridge she saw that Kate stood in the middle of it, her hands at the back, looking straight at her.

 _Ouch, she looks at me like I'm from another planet. Damn, she looks tired, older!_

"Hi Kate, how are you? It's a long time ago, isn't it?" Nikki said while she offered her hand to shake hands.

"Lieutenant-Commander."

Kate paused a few seconds. Her words lingered in the air, just like Nikki's hand.

"What's the subject of your visit?", she asked coolly and she did no effort to accept Nikki's hand.

Nikki pulled her hand back and shivering ran down her spine, "Uh, Kate, I just wanted to meet you again. It's quite some time ago, you see."

"That's all? Well, as you can see, I'm fine", she answered coolly.

 _Well goddamn she doesn't seem to recognize me._

"Well, ok, great, I just thought you would have liked it too?", Nikki answered confused, not really knowing what to say.

"If that was all, thank you. You can return and I have a mission to accomplish", Kate replied bluntly.

At the moment that Nikki wanted to turn, Kate added icily, "Oh and by the way, check the hierarchy of the navy grades, will you."

Nikki opened her mouth to snap some air and blushed.

"Uh, yes, … _Commander_!", She said, expressing the last word while glaring at Kate. She returned angry from the bridge.

"X! Why wasn't I at the current of the visit of another commander? And see to it that the commander can leave following the book!", she snapped.

"Aye aye ma'am", Mark said and he snapped against a sub-lieutenant, "Arrange a guard, now! At the rush!"

"Yes sir!", the man answered and hurried away.

He hurried after her and tried to hold her by her sleeve.

"I'm sorry Nikki, I tried to warn you. She's always like that." Mark said walking next to her.

"Mark, I don't know her like that. What happened here for God's sake?", Nikki asked irritated.

He grabbed her arm a bit more decisively, "Nikki please, wait! If you leave before the guard had greeted you officially with whistles, then I'm getting a thunderstorm over me!".

She stopped and looked at him, waiting for an answer.

"She came onboard like this. We don't know another Kate Roth. She falls over the littlest detail. She even doesn't accept a small chat or laughter at the bridge. Even the Chief isn't safe anymore in his engine room. She dares to pop up there too. " Everything must be perfect, otherwise she kills you.

"Hmm, Princess Perfect', she mumbled.

"What did you say?", he asked.

"Oh, nothing", she deadpanned.

He looked at his watch, "By now, there will be a guard. Let's go."

Nikki had to prepare a poker face to avoid that she roared with laughter when she saw how she received an official whistle while she wanted to leave the ship.

All of a sudden the speakers on board announced a message, "Executive officer at the bridge, at the rush!", Kate's voice sounded awfully.

Nikki looked at her former colleague of her first posting.

"Sorry Nik, it's always like that here. Fair winds."

"You too", she said before climbing down.

Nikki sat gloomy in the rhib when they rushed back to their own ship.

Without saying a word she climbed on board and padded directly to the bridge. There, she plopped down in her chair and stared out of the window.

"Boss, my observations tell me that you didn't have a cheerful meeting, isn't it?" Jack pushed off.

"Yes X, you're right. She became a bitch. Do you know, she has just ridiculed me at the bridge about ranks, where everyone was around. I could have killed her", Nikki answered angrily.

"Sorry for you boss, but can we leave?", he asked.

She glared at him, "Of course, what did you expect?"

She noticed how he looked surprised, and corrected herself, "Sorry Jack, I may not say that. It's not your fault that it was messed up there. I feel so stupid at this moment", she added whispering.

"Never mind. Just, forget her boss", he answered.

"Anyhow, I'll see her on shore in private and I _must_ _know_ what's going on." She said fiercely with a firm tap at the armrest.

"Good luck boss", he said lifting his eyebrows in disbelief.

Nikki caught his eye movement from the corner of her eyes, "You sound like you don't believe me uh? Well Jack, then you don't know me yet! I can be even more stubborn than that blond creature there!", she said with a nod in the direction of the Darwin.


	2. Chapter 2 The bear

**Chapter 2 the bear**

Two weeks later in Cairns.

The Hammersley had moored and the crew was leaving for shore leave.

Nikki stood on the gangway to see how her crew left the boat. The men couldn't leave quick enough because she was anxious to see her husband again.

All of a sudden she started waving to a big, blond sub-lieutenant who was approaching the gangway.

"Hey Mrs Mulholland, how was your patrol?" He asked her when they gave each other a kiss.

"Dylan, I'm happy I'm back. I'm going to tell you a hell of a story later today."

"Hmm, was it that bad?", he answered, still holding her with one arm around her waist.

"Yeah, about Kate", she said breaking away.

"Ah Kate? Have you finally seen her or heard from her? And what could be so bad with her?"

"I'll tell you later. Do you have the plane tickets for Sydney?", she asked while leaning against the railing.

"Yep and I got a surprise too, but I'm not going to tell it now", he said with a conspiracy smirk.

"Aargh! You're teasing me and you know I can't wait !", she answered while giving him a few soft whacks on his upper arm.

"Well Lieutenant-Commander Caetano, the patience is than an action to pay attention to", he said solemnly.

Another whack, "Ooh Dylan, you're terrible!"

 **Flashback of 6 years.**

Watson's Bay

Nikki's POV

She stood in the officer's mess at a high table and glared at the carton cup.

 _Is this coffee? Just brown coloured water! Disgusting. If they continue like this, then I'm considering to start drinking tea. And these stupid cups. Can't they use real cups and saucers? This is an officers' mess._

Nikki sighed and emptied her cup with one gulp.

 _One advantage. This stuff is not going to make me nervous._

She looked at her watch. _5' to go and then classroom._

She lifted her eyebrows.

 _A pastime before I take over the XO function of the Wolongong in Darwin. Five weeks they've said. Still two to go and it's boring. The first week was interesting. Everything was new, but the second was a tad less. The same explanation, over and over again. Same questions, same stupid jokes. Now the third. Another bunch of cadets._

 _Ok, be happy. It could have been worse, some kind of desk job. After the Hammersley, you've become the navigator on board of the Sydney. Then they've recommended you to be executive officer and they've send you to follow that training. And now, it's waiting until the XO of the Wolongong leaves and that you can take his place._

She looked again at her watch.

 _Right, time to go to that bunch of future admirals! I'm convinced that some of them can't even write the word 'reef' properly._

She grabbed a few chart rolls, a big file and her small briefcase and left for the classroom.

 _Jeez, I'm just a mule!_

She entered the classroom and put down the chart rolls, the file and the briefcase carefully to avoid the first grins. Next she put her hat off and put it on the desk. Nikki straightened her back and glanced over the candidates.

 _About twenty… A few females, less than other times._

She walked to the space between the desks and the whiteboard.

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen, I'm Lieutenant Nikki Caetano and I'm going to give you for the next days an advanced training on navigation. The main focus is navigating in shallow waters with invisible hindrances, reefs in this case. Moreover these obstacles in combination with the shallow waters create strong unexpected currents…".

While the midshipmen were calculating a first exercise, she glanced over the classroom.

 _All young people, straight from the school banks, but there are three NCO's who did the step upwards._

Her glance stopped at one of them. It was a big blond guy who sat in the middle of the room, but at the last row.

 _Hmm, not bad! It's the most handsome of this bunch._

Later that day, she gave another navigation exercise and waited. She glanced again over the group.

 _It's ironic. Where's the time that I sat here in one of these rooms, while Kate was giving that training. How different she was then at that time. Ice cold and no sense for humour or a smile. It was hard to believe that we were going to be friends!_

She frowned.

 _They are certainly not the level of Kate! I've some work to do, because now their skills are still below average, in spite of that some think that they become the navigator of a frigate when they leave Watson's Bay. Although, two of these former NCO's are good. They must have done it before._

Her glance stopped automatically at the big blond guy again, because he was looking at her. Their eyes locked for an instant and he gave her a barely seen nod with a slight smile.

She turned her head away.

"Ready?", she asked sternly to concentrate again.

At the end of the day, she dismissed the midshipmen and they started to pack their material. From the corner of her eyes she watched the big one.

They started to leave the classroom, but the big one continued fiddling with his files. When the last candidate left, he padded straight to her.

 _Oh no!_

Dylan's POV

He emptied his cup of coffee in one take, grabbed his file and aimed the cup in the bin.

"Ready for the next round?", the other former petty-officer asked with a grin.

"Yep, Piece of cake", he replied.

They started to walk to the classroom.

He chose a place in the middle at the last row.

 _It's quiet here and I can't be bothered by the twaddle of these young blokes who all think to become chief of the navy within five years. The only one with some feeling of the business is the one who was drinking a cup of coffee with me. He's coming from the mine hunters. The other NCO is going to have more than fun, I think. He comes from the HQ in Canberra. I think that he has never felt a deck under his feet._

He sighed.

 _Is this it? Maybe I had to decline the officer's promotion and I had to stay an NCO. Maybe within a few year chief petty-officer?_

 _Navigation today. I wondering which boring bloke they are going to send us?_

He lifted surprised his eyebrows when he saw how a little brunette entered the classroom with some chart rolls under her arm, a thick file in her hand while carrying a briefcase.

 _Hmm, interesting!_

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen, I'm Lieutenant Nikki Caetano and I'm going to give you for the next days an advanced training on navigation. …", he heard her saying.

 _Wow, pretty girl, cute voice!_

 _Uh? what did she say? Nikki Caetano? Then, she must be Kate's friend and the navigator of the Hammersley._

 _She looks better than I had in mind and from what I've seen on photos yet. Looks like a determined woman to me. Of course, otherwise there wasn't a match with Kate._

 _I've to talk to her. Absolutely. For any kind of reason._

 _But, uh… there was something with her, I remember. She had her boyfriend while they served together on board. Hmm, could be a serious barrier to get closer to her._

 _Anyhow, I need to talk to her. Hammersley, Kate and Mike are for sure conversation openers._

 _Oops, what did she say? I'd better keep my head to the training, otherwise I'm getting the wrong kind of attention from her._

While she was walking back and forth, he watched her and he wondered how she would look like in civvies and what kind of civvies she used to wear.

During the day, she made them do several exercises and he had just finished one. He glanced around and saw how the other were still busy.

 _Hmm, they're still busy and I thought that it wasn't that difficult. Did I overlook something?_

He checked his calculations and nodded.

 _Correct!_

He looked up and noticed that she was looking specific in his direction. Their eyes locked for an instant.

 _She's interested as well! That makes it easier to approach her._

He gave her a slight nod to say hi and he showed a slight smile.

Dylan saw how she turned quickly her head.

 _Hmm, I do certainly something to her, otherwise she wouldn't do this._

The training day touched its end and everyone packed his stuff. He fiddled with his files and observed the other candidate and her at the same time. When the last one headed to the door, he padded straight to her. Seeing her facial expression, he knew that a spark went through her.

"Hello ma'am. May I give you some code words? Hammersley, Kate McGregor and Mike Flynn", he said and paused to gauge her reaction.

Nikki looked at him startled. That look was going to be well known by him later on.

"How do you know?", she asked suspiciously.

"I'm former Petty-Officer Dylan Mulholland. I used to be the bosun on board of the Hammersley. From what I had understood is that we've missed each other. You've left the ship just before I came on board", he said.

"Ah, I see. Then you were the replacement of Pete Tomasewski", she concluded.

"Yep ma'am, exact. Do you feel to catch up about the Hammersley and our colleagues with a drink? Maybe we can eat something also?", he asked.

She looked at him while she was considering his offer.

 _Why should I go with this man? I don't know him. On the other hand, I find him attractive. And he knows Kate and the Hammersley and the other guys. I want to know eagerly how they have proceed! Come on, it can be fun. Ok, but I keep control on it. And the rules? What about them? If someone sees us, then we're toasted and I can't afford that and probably neither does he._

"Midshipman, the rules say that there may not be a fraternization with the candidates", she said and observed his reaction.

 _Is he going to do some efforts?_

"Ma'am, I'm not exactly a candidate. I've been a petty-officer and we are going to exchange some information about our former ship. I don't think there's something wrong with it?", he answered.

"Yeah, of course, but it's too dangerous to do this here", Nikki answered.

He nodded, "Of course not. I know an interesting place, not that far from here, Coogee Beach. Quite some people, but not forlorn."

"Hmm."

"Believe me it's harmless", he tried to convince her with a radiant smile.

Nikki nodded, "Ok then, but how do we find each other there?"

"Well, under normal circumstances, I would take you to there from here, but I think that we'd better date there. In front of the beach, there's a kiosk. 1830? Is that ok to you?", he said.

She nodded, "Yeah, fine. I'll be there."

He smiled broadly, "Great ma'am! I'll be there. See you", he said and padded out of the classroom.

Nikki stared a while to the door.

 _Jeez, Nicole, what have you done? A date with a complete stranger, just because he knows you by name and he has served on the Hammersley? Do you really know what you begin?_

Frowning she grabbed her belongings and left also the classroom.

 **That evening**

Dylan had taken a bus to Coogee Beach and he was there quite some time before the hour of the date. He didn't want come too late, because she could use that fact to go away again. He had put on a dark blue shirt on a black trousers, a matter of giving a good impression. When he walked to the kiosk he noticed to his surprise that there was a party or a festival going on. The beach and the boulevard were decorated with coloured lights, drank and food stands all over, kids activities, terraces, artists and music groups.

Having turned around that kiosk for 20 minutes he noticed her a few minutes before 6.30 pm. His heart jumped up. She was even more beautiful than he had expected.

Nikki was wearing a white dress with a little flower pattern and heeled sandals. Her dark brown hair hung loose over her shoulders and she had swung a soft green handbag over her shoulder. He noticed that she was looking around to see him and he started walking towards her.

"Good evening ma'am", he greeted her.

She turned quickly by hearing the greeting, a big smile on her face.

"Hi!", she said, "But drop the madam. We're off duty now. It's Nikki", she said as she reached out her hand.

"It's Dylan", he answered while shaking her hand.

"What do you think of it?", he asking glancing around.

She looked at him quizzically, "Honestly? Didn't you really know about this, huh?"

He shook his head, "No. Really. Normally it's rather quiet here".

He took the lead, "What do you think, a small drink to start with?"

"Yeah, why not!", Nikki replied.

"There!", he pointed to a terrace under the coloured lights.

They started walking to it.

"Did I tell you that you're looking good?", he said.

"Oh? Thank you!", Nikki replied.

They sat down and ordered a beer and a glass of white wine.

"Cheers!", he said lifting his glass.

"Cheers!", she replied before taking a sip.

"We've missed each other. That's a pity, not?", he said with a wink.

She grinned back, "Maybe, maybe not!".

"So, what happened in the period when I was away? Kate briefed me from time to time by email, but it became lesser and lesser and the last emails didn't sound that cheerful and confused. I've also heard that there has been a serious and sad issue recently, but Kate was very vague about it", she said.

He sighed, "Yeah, that!", and he took a sip.

"We have chased a terrorist gang for a couple of months and the communication officer was a woman from the secret service, Madeleine Cruise. I felt that there was something wrong with, but I couldn't explain why. And she has always denied me. At the end, it came out that she was one of the headlines of that terrorist gang. They had sent a motorboat to Cairns filled with a dirty bomb. Swain and Jim, a SAS captain, had you seen him before?"

"Uh-hu".

"Well they managed to dismantle the nuclear part of it. They managed to get of that boat before it exploded", he told.

"Oh my gosh!", Nikki mumbled covering her mouth with her hand.

"They survived, but they're still recovering", he continued thoughtfully

"Pfft, that's heavy. How's Swain doing then?", she asked.

"I've seen him afterwards in the hospital, but I think that it will take quite some time before he puts a foot on a deck again."

"Ouch. And Mike and Kate?"

He shrugged, "They are ok, I think. Did you know that they were dating?", he asked.

"She didn't say it in that much words, but I've understood from her that they were more than good friends", Nikki replied after taking a sip.

"I'm getting hungry, you know", she added.

"Yeah, me too. Let's pay this and let's have a look for some food. Preferences?", he said as he emptied his beer.

He lifted his hand as he saw that she wanted to take her purse, "No, it's for me".

"Ok, thanks. Not really a preference, as long as it's not something Asiatic or disgusting like bugs or so", she said cocking her nose.

He smirked, "Neither do I. I know a place here where they have everything, meat, fish, salads…"

A few minutes later they settled down on another terrace and were looking at a menu.

"Spare ribs and a beer", he decided.

"Mixed grill of fish and a glass of wine", Nikki added.

They passed their orders to the waiter and looked at each other.

"So, what was going on with Mike and Kate?", Nikki asked.

"Well, I don't know the entire picture but Mike and Kate told me something on separate occasions. Everything went good until that SAS captain popped up again and then, something must have been said whereby Kate changed her mind about Mike. I still can't think that she did that deliberately", he said.

"Uh?"

Meanwhile they've brought their drinks already and they took a sip.

"Yes, she had changed. Quiet, edgy. Seemingly light-hearted, but her face was not in sync with her words", he said thoughtfully.

"Hmm, that's the same period when I noticed that her emails became empty. What happened after the explosion?", Nikki asked.

He shrugged. "I don't know. I was transferred to the hospital and afterwards sent on recup", he answered.

Nikki frowned, "Hospital?", she asked concerned.

"I got shot when I overpowered Cruise", he replied but he was cut off by Nikki.

"Oh my gosh! Badly?", she reacted frightened.

"Nah, in the arm, a flesh wound. It could have been worse. But it meant that I've left the ship with a couple of week recuperation afterwards. While I was away I've got my ticket to follow the officer's training and the promotion to Midshipman", he said with a smile of comfort her.

"And you're back ok now?", she asked frowning and concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine, fully operational. Just a scar remembers me to that event", he said.

 _I sense a real concern here for me!_

She relaxed. "Ah, that's good!"

"Via Charge I've heard that Kate had asked for a transfer and that she had left almost immediately. So?", he said spreading his big hands.

Meanwhile they got their meal and started to eat.

He ordered another beer and she another glass of wine.

Dylan looked at her and lifted slightly his eyebrows. Nikki noticed it and gave him a smirk. "I can stand some, more than Kate. One too much and she started to talk with a thick tongue and that was a signal to me that I had to keep an eye on her. Time to return to the ship before she could make a fool of herself".

"Ah, I see", he replied.

"And what happened with Bomber?", Nikki asked.

"She has left also. A stupid case in fact. She had started a relation with 2Dads and they were caught kissing by Swain. End of story, of course", Dylan said between two bites.

"2Dads?! Then she has really a very bad taste!", Nikki said in disgust.

"How come?"

"He's an idiot!", she said decisively.

"Yeah, he's an odd guy, but he has already improved a lot", he said.

"Can be, but he's an idiot!", Nikki grumbled between two bites of fish.

She looked at his face which showed a question mark.

"He was the replacement of Josh, my fiance who…", she explained but her voice faltered. She swallowed and looked an instant aside. "He's the complete opposite of Josh and I couldn't accept that such a man replaced Josh!", she continued angrily.

"Oh, I didn't know that part. I'm sorry to reactivate it. Kate had told me that, but the 2Dads fact, that is new to me", he said.

"Never mind Dylan, I know that I have to proceed and I shall proceed, but Josh will always be somewhere in my head", she answered with a smile and a shrug.

He nodded, "Yeah, I understand".

They continued chatting and at the moment of the bill, she wouldn't let him pay it at all and they decided to split the bill. They left the terrace of the restaurant and they strolled over the boulevard looking at the coloured stands and enjoying the joyous mood. They stopped in front of a booth, decorated with Belgian flags. Two people were busy to bake waffles.

"Dessert?", he asked. "It seems that they're specialised in waffles there", he said.

She nodded, "yes, please".

"Two waffles please", he asked.

"Brussels or Liège?", he got back as answer.

"Huh? Well uh, one of each", he said.

"We'll split them, so that each of us can taste both of them", he said to her.

"Which one do you prefer?", he asked after they've eaten the waffles in silence.

"The Liège one. It's creamier", she answered rubbing her mouth with a napkin.

"Indeed, the same for me", he said as they started walking further on.

They stopped at another booth where you could gain bouquets of flowers with bow and arrow.

"Shall I shoot one for you?", he asked.

"Huh? With bow and arrow?", Nikki asked baffled.

"Yeah, we used to play with it to the farm", he answered.

"Do you have a farm?", Nikki asked again baffled.

"We had. It went bankrupt after two consecutive droughts and we had to look for another job. For me it became the Navy. Well, I'll get one for you", he said convinced as he grabbed his wallet.

The first two shots were straight in the bull's eye, but the last one was just next it.

"Damn good shot, mate", the man of the stand said. "Just a pity that you didn't put the third one in the middle as well. I've a consolation price for you, this buddy", he said as he gave Dylan a big brown teddy bear.

"Ah, uh, thanks", he replied confused.

 _Shit! Now, I have a bear instead of that huge bouquet of flowers for her. How ridiculous is this going to look like?_

He turned embarrassed to her and saw how her eyes twinkled and how she started laughing, a crystal clear laugh that made him smile as well.

"I'm sorry Nikki, it was seemingly a while ago and I've missed the flowers!", he said unhappily.

"Oh Dylan, your face is priceless! The bear is great! And it's amazing how accurate you can shoot with these things, because the third shot was almost right on target as well. And, moreover, flowers wither, a bear not", she said with a grin.

"So, you're happy with it?"

"Of course, you silly!", she said and grabbed the bear.

"Ah, in that case…"

With the bear under her arm they strolled to a music group. They stood still and watched the group playing. Nikki has holding the bear against her belly with her both arms and without that she was aware of, she went to stand that close to him that her shoulder touched slightly against his chest. Dylan gave a little bit in so that the pressure was a bit harder. Nikki seemed to like it because she leaned afterwards against it. They stood for while in this position while the band was playing. When the group stopped they applauded.

"I think that I go home again, if you can call that Navy flat home, of course", she said.

"Ok, I shall walk you home then?", he suggested.

Nikki shook her head, "Too dangerous Dylan, the closer we get to the base, the bigger is the risk that someone sees us. We'd better go separately", she said.

"And thank you for the wonderful evening, and the bear", she added with a radiant smile.

"Pleasure. Maybe, we can date again?", he asked.

"Yeah, of course. Maybe this weekend?", she asked enthusiastically.

"Absolutely. An entire day? I know a great coast line where we can walk and nobody sees us or recognise us. What do you think?"

"Sounds good!"

"You like nature trails?"

"Absolutely! Where and when?", she asked.

"Here, Saterday,1000Hr? And then we travel further".

"I'll be here", she said and reached him the hand.

He shook her hand, reached down and gave her a peck on her cheek that resulted in a broad smile.

He watched how she walked away with the bear under her arm. When she was out of sight, he made a little walk as well to avoid that they would sit on the same bus back.

 _Amazing woman. She's different from others that I've ever met. This one does something to me. She's serious and quizzical at the same moment and she has quite a temper. I like that. And she wants to see me again. A good sign. I feel that she's the woman with who I want to settle down. Yes. Ok, let's see how it's going to move next Saturday!_

The next day, Dylan sat at his usual spot at the back of the classroom and waited until Nikki would arrive. He hid a grin as she rushed through the doorframe, loaded like a mule with her briefcase, a file and some chart rolls under her arm. She plopped the whole bunch on the desk and put her hat next to it. With a deep breath she looked at the waiting midshipmen.

When she had given the introduction of the theme, she glanced over the candidates until she met Dylan. Their eyes locked and he gave her a wink. She didn't turn her head anymore, but gave a slight smile in return and he noticed with pleasure the slight blush that crept her cheeks.


	3. Chapter 3 Stubborn

**Chapter 3. Stubborn**

 **Sydney**

A cab stopped at a nice house on one of the hills around Sydney. Nikki and Dylan got out. He paid the cab driver while she walked with her suitcase to the front door. He followed her with his own luggage and waited until she had found the key. She opened the door and they got in.

"Hi, mum, dad!", she yelled, but there came no answer.

"They're not home", she noticed. She put down her luggage and sniffed the scent of the house.

"Weird, isn't it? Each family and house has its own scent", she said.

"Yeah, it's true", he said as he walked through and peered into the living room. "Your parents never change something uh?"

She followed him, "Nah, they're 100% classic and traditional. Mum would dare to change something, but then I think that dad will die from a stroke!", she muttered.

He laughed.

She looked around, "Well, I think that was the reason why I revolted when I was a youngster. I wanted a change and it didn't work. So I dressed myself the complete opposite, a too wide T-shirt or sweater, a torn jeans that ran on its own to the bin and Swedish clogs or oversized army boots with untied laces", she mused.

"You?!", Dylan replied in disbelief. "You've never told me that!".

"No, I know, it's nothing to be proud of. I acted ridiculous back then", she said thoughtfully, wandering in the living room looking at all the well-known objects.

"I can't imagine that it was easy walking", he contemplated.

"No, far from that! But it was different", she grumbled.

"When did you change then?", he asked as he plopped down in a club chair.

She shrugged, "At school, meeting other people. You're very malleable during that period you know".

"Uh-hu. Anyway, it's hard to imagine you in such an outfit", he said looking at his wife whereby she laughed with her crystal clear sound.

He looked around while he tapped on the arm-rests, "It's going to be a couple of hours quiet now".

"Nah, they're cute, not?", she replied.

"Yes, they are, but admit, it's much more fun with both of us only, uh honey?", he said.

She walked to him, bent over and kissed him, "I know what you mean darling!"

He looked at his watch, "We still have some time, but we may not linger".

She showed a hurtful face, "You still hasn't said where we're going to! And why I had to bring my best dress!"

"Nope!"

"I can make it an order, sub-lieutenant!", she replied haughtily.

He looked at her ice-cold, "Then, lieutenant-commander, I'll refuse bluntly and there will be no surprise at all!"

She gritted her teeth, "Aargh Dylan, sometimes I really don't know what to do with you!"

"Never mind, I know what to do with you!", he replied with a grin. "And don't forget your dress", he deadpanned while she stuck out her tongue to him.

 **A few hours later**

He stopped her parent's car and shut down the engine.

"Here it is. Open your eyes now", Dylan said to Nikki.

She looked around and her eyes became bigger. "No! You really mean it?", she asked startled.

"Yep."

"Now I understand why you insisted at home that I should take my best blue dress. The Cerberus is one of the best restaurants in town. Why?"

"It's our fifth wedding anniversary and I thought we'll make something special of it", he said.

"Dylan you're too kind", she said with a smile and reached for the door handle.

"Wait Mrs Mulholland!", he said and grabbed in the pocket of his jacket. He took out a parcel and offered it her while she lifted her eyebrows in surprise. "For you".

"A present!? I like presents!", she said as she tore away the paper to find a silk bag in her hand. Nikki pulled it open and took out a necklace of azurite beads.

"Oh! Darling, that's beautiful!", she exclaimed and bent to him to give him a kiss.

"Pleasure! And I'll put it around", he said.

Nikki twisted around in the car chair so that he could fix the necklace.

"Here you go".

Next, she reached out to see the effect in the mirror of the sun visor of the car. "It's wonderful!", she said.

"Pleasure, and now let's get out, because I'm starving", he answered.

Outside the car Nikki straightened her dress and Dylan looked amused to the deep cut out at her back. It was not too long so that a part of thighs were visible. Together with her shapely legs and the high blue open toe pumps, it made her a highly appreciated appearance.

"You look gorgeous, sexy and hot, you know", he said with a grin.

"Shht, be quiet, within a second, I'm blushing. Everyone can hear you", she said with a smile.

"People may know that!", he answered whereby he got a whack on his upper arm.

They padded inside and waited at the reception desk.

"Mrs and Mr Mulholland?", the receptionist asked.

"Indeed, that are we", Dylan answered.

"Nice, I'll show you your table", the man said and he motioned with his hand as he stepped from behind the desk. They followed the man.

Dylan could not hold his smile when he heard the noisy, clicking sound of her high heels on the floor when they padded to their table.

"You're noisy", he said with a grin.

Nikki lingered and poked him. "What did you expect huh? Well, mister Mullholland, next time I'll wear my heavy navy boots under this dress. Does that sound better to you?", she mumbled.

"Navy boots under a dress? Hmm, it'll be not your first time then, huh", he said while he got another poke.

The waiter waited until they were seated. "Do you like something to drink?", he asked as he handed them the menu cards.

"Yes, champagne please", he ordered.

"Yes, sir", he answered and left.

The waiter brought them the aperitif and Dylan lifted his glass of champagne.

"Cheers honey, to us."

"Cheers. Where's the time you attracted my attention at Watson's Bay. Although, I was already looking at you. You were the most interesting man in the class." She said.

"Yeah, I noticed that too. One boring geezer after the otheruntil you arrived. I was all of a sudden interested again. And I still see your face when I said to you after the class 'ma'am, code word Hammersley'. You looked at me like I had said a magic word", he replied leaning back in his chair.

"Have you made up your mind?", he asked.

"Yes, I have, salad of king crab and then lamb crown. And you?", she said reaching for her glass to take a sip.

"Carpaccio of filet mignon and the grilled duck", he said.

"Red wine?", he asked.

"Yeah, it's good".

They passed their choice to the waiter. He grabbed his glass, took a sip and leaned forward to her. "Nik, are you still happy with me?", he asked.

She rolled her eyes, "What's that for a silly question! Of course, you dolt!"

He grinned and leaned back in his chair, "Ok, nice to know! What made you decide to move on with me five years ago?"

"Hmm", and a grin appeared on her face. "Your priceless face when you stood there with that bear in your hands. You wanted flowers for me and you ended up with a toy. Your ill-at-ease posture told me that you were really concerned about what I had to have."

He rubbed his chin, "I see, our bear. He ought to know", he mumbled.

She looked at him suspiciously, "Well, it looked like that we started with silly questions. I've got one too! I'm wondering often if we didn't exaggerate on our second date. I still think that it had exceeded all bounds."

He lifted one eyebrow, "The coastal trail with your famous bath?".

"Yeah, that one", she replied frowning.

A radiant smile appeared on his face, "We're still together, so why would it have been that bad?"

She only shrugged with a broad grin.

"We've had quiet some fun back then, uh?".

"Yeah, that's the least you can say!", she replied.

 **Flashback, 5 years ago**

The Saturday after their first date, they met again at Coogee Beach near the kiosk. He noticed that she was already there when he arrived. Dylan looked surprised at his watch to see if he was late, but he wasn't. With large steps he walked to her and noticed with pleasure her output, a tight yellow t-shirt that showed every shape of her body and a cream coloured short shorts. She had her hair in a ponytail, a small backpack on her back and flat sandals with straps on her feet.

"Hi", he greeted her and she turned quickly to face him with a broad smile.

"Hey!", she replied.

He bent over and gave her a peck on her cheek.

"Am I too late?", he asked.

"No, I just couldn't wait any longer and came to here", she said with a beaming face.

"You're looking good!" he said.

"Thank you!".

"Ready to go? I've hired a car for the weekend and it's about one and a half hour drive from here. We've to get out of the city you see and I've a picnic basket and beverages with me", he said motioning with his thumb to his backpack.

"I'm ready", she said bouncing softly on her toes, while he was looking at her feet.

"You're ok with these?", he asked as he looked at her sandals with smooth soles which were for the city instead of for a coastal trail.

"Of course! Men need shoes for every specific action, hiking, climbing, running, whatever. We, women, can do everything with our shoes", she parried him decisively.

"Ok, then, come", he deadpanned as he turned to walk to the car that stood nearby.

During the drive they chatted about everything until they reached the start of their walk, a small sleeping village on the coast. The walk went smoothly, on the beach, on the slopes of the coast. The sun shone and there was a firm, soft breeze. After two hours they reached a small inlet with a valley and a brook. The brook was just a bit too wide to cross it by jumping. The place where the brook led to the ocean was clear and bright blue. The slopes of the valley around were covered with a dense vegetation.

Dylan pointed with his finger to the inland. "I know that there's a passage more inland".

Nikki frowned a little and pointed to a large tree that was lying over the brook. The trunk was free of branches and leaves and it looked tempting for crossing. "Why can't we try this one?", he asked pointing to it.

He shook his head, "Nah, it looks wet and slippery. Too risky!. We'd better go to that passage", he said.

Nikki lifted her chin and she had a look that he had never seen before, but that he was going to know very well later on.

"That's a reason enough for trying!", she said naughtily and she started climbing via the slope onto the trunk. She placed her feet in the middle and started to walk slowly to the other side, "You see! It's possible! Hehehe!", she chuckled with a smirk!

The inevitable was going to happen and in the middle of the trunk, she put her left foot forward and from the moment she stood on it, it slipped away to the right and her left tibia hit the trunk. Nikki flipped to the left and felt head down in the creek with a squeal, followed by a loud splash.

 _To be continued._


	4. Chapter 4 JIm Roth

**Chapter 4. Jim Roth**

(Nikki flipped to the left and felt head down in the creek with a squeal, followed by a loud splash.)

"Nik!", was the only thing Dylan could utter.

She came above again chortling and splashed to the shore. He reached her the hand and pulled her out.

"Aargh! And with this I've proved also that women can be extreme stubborn and that they have to pay a price for it!", she deadpanned.

He looked at her soaked appearance and a smile started to deploy on his face. "I had heard that you could do everything with those shoes", he remarked dryly.

"Shut up! I've discovered that already!", she grumbled.

"Are you ok?", he asked.

She looked down at her dripping wet appearance and then at him, "Yeah, only my left leg hurts a bit."

He looked down at her leg and saw some blood on it. "We'd better go back to the beach so that I can have a look at it", he said.

They walked back and after a few minutes they reached the beach again. She took off her sandals, pulled the elastic tie out her hair, put her little backpack down and sat down. He did the same with his and he grabbed out of the backpack a bottle of water and a small case.

"It's not that bad, just a deep scratch", he said as he cleaned the wound. He dried it and put a small dressing on it. "Here you go. How do you feel now?".

"Terrible in fact. My clothes are soaked and wet underwear hamper me. I want to find a way to dry them", she said unhappily.

"Here!", he said and he pulled his T-shirt out. "Put everything in the sun. With that wind, it'll dry within minutes. Meanwhile you pull on my T-shirt", he suggested.

She lifted her eyebrows by the view of his broad, muscular torso.

 _Wow!_

"Yeah, that's the only thing I can do", she agreed.

He looked at his watch. "Meanwhile we can stay here. Lunch time. You can change there", he said pointing to the bushes.

Nikki shook firmly her head, "Oh no! There's not a single hair on my head just thinking about it. These bushes are plenty with mozzies, ants and bugs. No way! I'll do it here. Just turn and I'll stand behind you, so that nobody can see me from the shore line", she said.

So, he stood with his face to the bushes and Nikki stood behind him, pulling out her T-shirt, shorts and underwear. When she was completely naked, she asked, "You're sure that nobody can see me?"

"On this side, there's nobody, but at sea, I don't know. Any navy ship can watch us with the EOD", he said dryly.

" _Whaaat?",_ she exclaimed in panic and she swivelled around him so that she stood naked close in front of him. He glanced surprised down at her and she tapped nervously with her both hands at his arms, "Come on, turn, turn!", she said.

Dylan turned around with a radiant smile on his face.

 _This was unexpected. All that a small joke can do! Wonderful!_

Nikki reached for his T-shirt and pulled it quickly over her head. She stepped aside and turned to him, "Well what you think of it?"

He turned and looked at her. The T-shirt was like a too wide and extremely short dress to her. It came to just under her bum. "Nice. Casual", he said.

Nikki sat down across from him and pulled the T-shirt down. She opened her backpack to check its content. "Damn!", she cursed as she looked into her purse. "Everything is soaked. Tissues, money, everything. Luckily my ID card is plastic", she muttered.

"What do you think?", he asked to distract her as he pulled out a thermos.

"Coffee?", she wondered.

He grinned, "No, silly, something better", he replied as he grabbed two plastic cups.

She watched him curiously as he opened the thermos and she started to smile when she saw how he poured white wine into the cups.

"Cheers!", he said as he offered her a cup. "I've cooled it yesterday".

"That's a great idea! Cheers!", she said.

They took a gulp and next he grabbed a tablecloth and a package with sandwiches that he put on it.

They ate the sandwiches and drunk some more wine.

The wind blew often the T-shirt against her body so that it looked like a second skin, accentuating her shape and boobs. Besides, she didn't pay attention anymore to the length of the T-shirt and it has slit upwards, neither she wasn't aware that she was showing more than she wanted to. From where he sat, he had a clear view on what was under the T-shirt. Dylan started to feel something else and the tension in his lower abdomen was palpable.

 _Shit man, she's hot. If this continues, then we're up to something else. But, you have to keep your head cool and don't screw it up from the second date. She isn't an ordinary girl!_

Nikki saw how he was contemplating about something and gave him a bone melting smile.

 _He's lovely and handsome, not to talk about that torso! For one reason or another, he succeeded in turning me on like mad! Maybe, due to the wine and to the fact that we're alone on this beach and also that I'm totally naked under his T-shirt. It's quite exiting to sit here like that! It's special. It's the first time since Josh that I feel to urge to make love again. Nah, what would he think of me then?! Cool yourself off and go to the sea. A little of cold water will make you come back to reality._

"Dylan, I'm going to the breaking, I want to feel the water", she said.

"Yeah, great, go ahead!", he replied.

She stood upright and started to run to the sea, but she forgot that to run and the wind made raise the T-shirt and he looked straight on her bare bum.

 _Fuck man! Here I go again!_

He glanced at her underwear and noticed that it wasn't that big. Amused he was looking at her how she strolled with her bare feet in the water.

 _This is the best thing that ever happened to you! Kate was good, but she was Mike's and besides that, she was a bit too serious for me. Nikki on the contrary, equals Kate, but she's a tad more playful. I like that._

 _Well man, what are you waiting for? I want her for wife!_

He took his shoes and socks off, stood up and also ran to the water.

"Hey, you're not going to have some fun alone!", he said to her.

She beamed. "Aha! Here you go!", she said and started splashing water into his direction whereby he replied with splashing back.

Quickly, her T-shirt was wet and stuck to her body as a second skin showing her shapes.

"Catch me!", she dared him and ran away, her feet splashing in the water.

He ran after her and instantly he caught her and lifted her out of the water. "Got you!", he simply said while she let hear her crystal clear laugh. He carried her in his arms while she wrapped her arms around his neck back to their place. He put her on her feet again and next, he sat down on the beach.

Nikki looked down at him quizzically.

 _Cool yourself off? A complete failure! I'm turned on as crazy! No, I will not let pass this moment!_

All of a sudden she sat down straddled at his lap. "Dylan, you make me crazy!", she panted and cupped his face with both hands. She kissed him passionately whereby he answered her with the same ardour. Then she started to unbuckle the band of his trousers. Next followed the zip. His hands slid under the T-shirt and caressed her back. When they broke for air, he motioned with his thumb to the inlet. "There's a nice beach out of sight".

"What are we waiting for then?!", she said and both ran to the inlet.

Somewhat later they walked back.

"Hmm, not that bright huh? Leaving our gear here while we were off the planet there", she mused.

"Nah, this is a forlorn beach", he said as he sat down again.

Nikki checked her clothes, nodded and pulled them back on. She pulled off his T-shirt and pulled on her bra and her T-shirt again. It caught his attention that she did that in front of him without even turning around.

He looked at his watch, "Nik, we are here longer than we thought. It's time to go back.

 **The Cerberus restaurant**

He grinned at her, "If you had worn more appropriate shoes and if you had not dived into the water, then this would not have happened".

Nikki grinned back, "And if my cat was a cow, then I could milk her. Probably not, but that tree trunk was too attractive and as slippery as ice. Even with spikes under my shoes I would have fallen into the drink. And if not, then the combination of your wine plus playing in the sea would have done it!"

"Yeah, it 's true", he confirmed.

At the same time, they brought the starter.

"It's funny, isn't it? History repeats itself. Once I sat there to follow that navigation training and I became the teacher. Mike and Kate started in the same way as we, during the navigation course," she said between a few bites.

"With one exception Nik, we didn't make a mess of it, but they did", Dylan said while he grabbed her hand.

"Exactly. I never thought to find someone else after Josh. But, the advantage was that we were not posted on the same ship", she answered him with a smile.

"And I didn't run away from you." He said while he leaned back in his chair.

"Anyhow, now that we are talking about them, that was a strange story you told me in the plane about Kate."

"Yeah, I really don't understand. She looked at me like we never met before. And she looked so old. Very weird", Nikki said frowning.

"By the way, this was a very good dish", she noticed nodding.

He took a sip, "Yeah, indeed. Quality! Something very strange was going on back then. It started a month or two before the explosion and the arrest of Madeleine Cruise. Kate's mood had changed from joyous into edgy. I noticed that she avoided Mike and it got worse when Jim Roth popped up again. My friendship with her was even shaken.

He made advances towards her and it would seem that she accepted them. One night I met Mike in a bar. He was drinking on his own and I joined him. He told me in a few words that he wanted to start a relation with her and that he couldn't understand why she didn't want anymore. Later on, I noticed also a strange thing".

"What was that?"

"Swain and Jim Roth managed to neutralize the atomic part of the bomb and they could jump off the boat just in time before it exploded. They took them out of the water unconscious but in one piece. Really, they went through the eye of the needle.

When I woke up bit by bit in the hospital in a wake-up room, like they say there, I noticed that Jim was next to me and I assumed that Swain was in the following bed.

I noticed also that someone else was pacing around. Kate. I pretended to be asleep, because I had a discussion with her when we brought back a yacht to the port. On board I told her that I had spoken to Mike about her decision and she wasn't really happy with it. So, anyway, I heard Jim asked her to marry him".

"What did she say?", Nikki asked eagerly by bending down to him.

"That was the weirdest in fact. She didn't say much. Through my half closed eyes I saw that she just nodded and said yes. But her body language told me there was something else going on. When I compare with you when I had asked you, you had almost strangled me", he said with a smile.

"Silly! And then?"

"I don't know. I was dismissed from the hospital for recup and afterwards I received my ticket for the officer's training. The only thing that I then discovered, was that she was transferred.", he said.

"Hmm", Nikki mumbled making a face.

"Well, around the same period the content of the emails we exchanged also changed. They became superficial", Nikki added.

"Yep, my emails too. She only answered when I sent one. She didn't make the first move anymore. The only concrete thing that she mentioned was a transfer to Sydney on a frigate".

"She didn't even invite us at their wedding", Nikki noticed.

"It would be not abnormal. Maybe they wanted to marry in private."

"Might be. At our wedding they weren't there either. The whole crew was there, even Mike, but they not."

"Coincidence?", he asked.

"Hmm, kind of you, but I don't believe that."

"On the other hand and that is really a coincidence, the Darwin is at the base actually for a long shore leave. I know that because my cook is back in Cairns with his broken leg and he told me. He arrived there before the Hammersley. Now that we are here for a visit to my parents, I will take the opportunity to visit Kate and Jim as well."

"You're sure? What if she acts as on board," he asked doubtfully.

She shook her head, "Hmm, I still can't believe that. I have their address."

At that moment a waiter arrived at their table with two dishes, "For who is the lamb crown?"

"Me!", she said.

He put the dishes in front of them and with a "Enjoy your meal", he left.

A bit later while they were eating.

"Hey, speak of the devil and he appears. Dear, bend down a bit to the left", Nikki asked.

Dylan did it but almost in a 45 degree angle.

"Silly. Don't be daft ! Not that obvious!", she sizzled.

"What do you see?", he asked.

"Don't look immediately. The table behind you. That's Jim, but not with Kate. And it looks like that this is not a business dinner", she whispered

Dylan turned a bit and looked over his shoulder and saw Jim who was caressing the lady's hand.

"Hmm, poor Kate. I don't think you do that with your sister's hand", he said.

"Nope. Now he's even caressing her cheek!", she noticed startled.

"Nik, don't stare. It becomes too obvious as well", Dylan whispered.

"Aargh, asshole! He's cheating her. I want to throw an anchor to his head !", Nikki grumbled.

He grabbed her hand, "Nik, don't let him spoil your evening."

She frowned a little, "Ok, ok, you're right."

A bit later she looked thoughtfully and he asked her what she was thinking about.

"Does Kate know this? Her behaviour on board, you see. You cannot be happy by knowing your husband cheats on you", she said.

"It could be, but you know what?", he said all of a sudden to distract her.

"Tell me."

"I want to examine the cut out of your dress after we've finished diner."

She returned him a bone melting smile, "My dear, that's not 'I want to', but that's an order !"

"Yes ma'am", he grinned.


	5. Chapter 5 Visiting Kate

**Chapter 5 Visiting Kate**

Dylan woke up first and got out of the bed. Nikki stirred and mumbled something. He yanked open the curtains and bright sunlight entered the bedroom. Then he put his hands on his waist and looked at the estuary and the sea. Next he looked to the left and noticed the arch of the bridge in the distance.

Nikki pulled the sheet over her head.

"Aargh, not so quick", she grumbled.

He turned and looked smiling at his wife under the sheet, "Nice!"

"What's nice?", she asked from under the sheet.

"This sheet follows the curves of your beautiful body. All details are visible."

"You little rascal!", she giggled.

"Come on, it looks like it's going to be a beautiful day today. What do you want to do?", he asked her.

She pulled the sheet back and looked at him smiling, "Visiting Kate, … _shopping_ , … having a lunch on a terrace, a walk along the beach … what else?"

"Yeah, but we have to text her that we come, otherwise she or they might not be there."

"Hmm, correct. Her answer will be a first evaluation", she mumbled.

"Come on Nik, your parents have already prepared breakfast. I smell coffee and bacon", he said as he ran his fingers over her body.

"Yeah, you're right. I'm starving. Hup, take a shower, so that I can follow!", she said.

 **Hi Kate, we're in town. Do you mind we pop in to say hello? Dylan & Nikki**

"What do you think. Should that work?", she asked Dylan when she showed him the message.

"Hmm, that will do, I think."

She pushed the button. "Right, sent and now wait."

A few moments later a message from Kate arrived.

 **OK**

"It's much!", he mumbled.

"No, but it's better than nothing. It means that phase one is gained. Let's go, we'll take some chocolates. I know that she really can't say 'no' to them. A bottle of wine is more for a dinner", Nikki said.

After buying a gift-box with chocolates, they stood in front of Kate and Jim's door.

"Phew, big. In comparison with theirs, ours is just a shanty", he said.

Nikki gave him a frowned glance, "So what, I'm happy with our shanty!"

"Nah! I'm just…", he mumbled shrugging.

Nikki rang the bell and Kate opened the door a few moments later and let them in.

"Come in, I didn't expect you already. I was busy with some cleaning. So don't pay attention to the buckets", Kate said as she walked back to the living room.

The couple entered and had a better look at Kate. She wore an old t-shirt, cargo-pants, flip-flops and her hair was gathered in a loose ponytail. They tried not to show how they were startled to see an old-looking and tired face.

"Never mind Kate, we know each other, huh?"

 _I hope so!_

"We are in town to visit my parents and thought to pop in. We have here some milk chocolates, the ones you like", Nikki said offering her the box.

Kate accepted the box. "Yeah, thank you. Take a seat. A brew?" She asked, but a smile wasn't there anymore.

"Yes, thank you", they said as they sat on the couch.

Nikki and Dylan looked at each other with a questioning glance.

They waited while Kate was busy with the espresso machine in the kitchen.

"Here you go." Kate said as she put three mugs on the table. She opened the box with chocolates and put it on the coffee table as well.

"Quite some time ago isn't it? And how are you now?", Nikki pushed off after taking a sip of the hot liquid.

"Indeed and as I said before, I'm fine", Kate answered plainly while sipping from her coffee.

"Good. Is Jim also ok?", Dylan asked.

"Yeah, he's on a mission", she said neutrally.

"Oh, here or abroad?", he replied.

"Normally he doesn't give much details about what he's going to do, but from what I've understood now, he's abroad", Kate answered while taking a chocolate.

"Ah, I see. Ok", Dylan replied nodding trying to keep a poker face.

"How are you both doing?", Nikki asked again.

"Fine, … absolutely fine", Kate answered while she stared at a point right above Dylan's shoulder.

"Uh-hu", she mumbled.

 _And I should believe you? When you start to say 'absolutely fine', then it always means the complete opposite!_

"Since when do you command the Darwin?", Dylan asked because he wanted to bring the conversation at another subject.

"I took over the ship about six months ago after I've got my promotion. Finally I got one!", Kate said with a smile, the first they saw since they entered. But she didn't elaborate further.

"Yeah, indeed, good for you. You were always a big ships girl, isn't it?", Nikki asked.

 _Do I have to tear away the words of your mouth?_

Kate nodded and smiled again.

 _She isn't biting yet. Another try._

"When I saw you on board, it seemed to me that I was a complete stranger, you know", Nikki tried again.

"Nikki, that's the business huh", Kate said shrugging.

"Hmm."

 _Shit, she really doesn't bite. Hell, what's going on with you?_

"By the way, how are you both doing? We couldn't be at your wedding, … we had … something else … to do", Kate asked with a smile, but it was a fake one.

Nikki looked at her.

 _Love, you are a very bad liar._

"We? We've never been so happy! The past five years were wonderful." She said as she grabbed Dylan around the waist.

But she stopped suddenly when she saw Kate's face. It looked like she just received a direct hit from the Typhoon.

"Kids?", Kate tried to ask neutral but they noticed there was a lump in her throat.

"We are playing with the idea to start with it very soon", Nikki's answered.

"And you?"

"No, … not yet", Kate croaked out.

"Oh, I see."

"Any word … from … Mike?", Kate asked clenching her hands.

"Now he's a captain and commands the base of Cairns. Maxine is still doing the operations and I'm her assistant", Dylan answered.

"Ah, I see, then he outranks her", Kate concluded.

"Yes, but it looks like that she has acquiesced in it", Dylan replied.

"Yes, indeed,… uh, and… is he … ?" She asked softly while she was looking at the table.

 _If he's married uh?_

"No, still single", Nikki answered shortly and observed Kate whose nod was barely perceptible.

An uncomfortable silence settled down. All three grabbed their cup of coffee and a chocolate to have something to do.

"Kate, you're sure you're feeling okay?", Nikki asked worried as she put back the cup on the coffee table.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, absolutely", Kate answered but Nikki noticed her eyes were glassy.

"Ok, we're going to leave you. Thanks for the coffee. But Kate, listen, if you want to talk to us, or to be with us, let us know. We're still here at my parents' for the next days. I'll leave you their address", Nikki said as she stood upright while opening her handbag.

She wrote the address and phone number on a small piece of paper and gave it to her.

"Thanks for mentioning it and for the visit", Kate answered forcing a slight smile.

At the moment of leaving Dylan asked casually, "Kate, does Jim has sisters or brothers?"

"No, he's alone. Why?"

"Oh, just a question", he replied with a shrug.

They left and Kate closed the door behind them.

When they walked back to their car they looked at each other.

"Hmm, this wasn't really a successful visit, was it? Cool, formal. She just didn't look at her watch. I don't recognise her anymore", Dylan said.

"Not a successful visit? I wouldn't say that. We've provoked something. Have you seen her reactions when we talked about marriage and kids and heard her question about Mike? I bet she's crying like mad now", Nikki answered.

"Indeed, that marriage is a mess. Jim is abroad on a mission while he's here and he has no sister. Obvious isn't it?"

"Yeah. Poor girl. She doesn't know. And if she knows it, then she's a damn good actress to hide it!", she said rolling her eyes.

"I'm going to run a check on him. I have a mate who's lieutenant in Major Roth's team and I'll question him. And did you see her smile when we talked about the frigate? It looked like that's the only thing that makes her happy", he said as he grabbed the car keys out of his pocket.

"Then she has to change her behaviour, otherwise she's blowing up her captain's chair as well", she said by entering the car.

"You know what? I'm sure Kate is going to come back to us. She's alone here and there's no one to whom she can speak freely. Moreover she's so reserved but she has also her breakpoint, I know her. It'll come, but it'll take some time and I just don't know when it will be", she said.

"And now? Where are we going to?", he asked as he started the car.

"What'd you think? Shopping, of course!", she said with broad smile.

Kate closed the door and leaned against the wall with her eyes closed.

 _Nikki, why did you come here? Why have you made it even more difficult to me?_

She pinched the bridge of her nose with her thumb and index finger and took a deep breath. Then, she walked to the living room to collect the empty cups. She glanced at the chocolates.

 _Shall I?_

 _No! Because when you start, you eat the entire box to comfort yourself and then your stomach will be upside down. This evening, one!_

Kate lingered for a moment in the living room contemplating. Then she padded to the bedroom, opened her wardrobe, pulled out a box and grabbed an A5 format envelope. She sat down on the bed with the envelope, looked at it one moment and pulled out a photo. She looked at the person on the photo and caressed his face with her fingers. Tears began to flow on her cheeks.

"Mike." She whispered.

Then she turned around, lay down on her belly and began to cry.


	6. Chapter 6 Detective

**Chapter 6 Detective**

 **Coogee Beach**

Dylan and Nikki were strolling over the boulevard. The sky was blue, the sun shone and a slight breeze coming from the sea made it very agreeable.

"Darling, that's a wonderful idea to come back to the place where it all began", she said.

"That's the thought and maybe we can take our lunch where we've had our first dinner", he replied pointing to a terrace.

They were lucky to get a table on the terrace and somewhat later the couple was enjoying a smoked fish cold lunch with a view on the beach and the sea.

"Nik, it's time to start my secret war", he said to Nikki who just swallowed a piece of bread with a sip of white wine.

"Your mate of the SAS?"

"Yep."

He dialled his mate's number on the cell-phone and waited for him to answer.

"Lieutenant Rawling!", was heard at the other end of the line.

"Hey Mickey it's Dylan, how are you?"

Nikki bent towards the cell-phone to listen too.

"Dylan, you old pirate, you're still not drowned!"

"Nope mate, I'm floating you know. But I've got to know something from you."

"Tell me, but you know, it will cost you a beer."

"Yeah of course, we have a lot to talk. Is the major busy with an operation?"

"No, on the contrary, it's quiet here. Almost everyone is on holidays. Although, the major is maybe busy with a private operation."

Nikki looked at Dylan and gestured with her hands and big eyes that he had to gather more info.

"A private operation? Sounds exciting. Tell me more", he asked.

"He has boasted of having found a cosy resort in a small bay a few miles south of Sydney. He wanted to test it out with his wife, especially the bed, haha."

"Asshole!", Nikki mouthed with an angry glance.

"What a queer chap. Did he tell the name of the resort. I also want to test these beds with my wife."

Nikki poked him in the ribs and he made a face to her.

"Yeah, it's rather plain name, the Harbour Inn or so. But why do you have to know that?"

"Quite easy, we're currently in Sydney and we wanted to pay them a visit, but we wanted to know if they were at home."

"Oh I see. You know Dylan I'll book that beer already."

"Yeah, do that, great idea!"

Dylan hung up the phone and looked at her with a smile.

"You're damn good liar. And by the way, do you really mean what you say about testing those beds?", she asked him with a grin.

"Why not? We two are testing beds everywhere", he replied with a smirk, while he got a teasing poke from her.

"He's at that resort with his wife? Bastard. The poor girl is playing Cinderella at home with buckets and rags", she said angrily while she took her glass to take a sip.

"Well, this afternoon we're going for a ride by car. I know a lovely bay with a nice hotel, the Harbour Inn. I want to have a look at it more closely", he said tapping her knee.

"Right, now a coffee and we're off."

They had driven for an hour and they had found the small bay. It was something between a cove and a bay and surrounded by low hills with trees, bushes and grassland. The crystal clear azure blue waters were bordered by an attractive fine sandy beach. There were a few people on the beach. On the other side of the bay, there was a small fishing village with a jetty where a few yachts and little boats were anchored around it.

"So, this is it?" Nikki asked when she looked outside the car.

"Yeah, it is."

"On this point he is right. It's lovely here, just a paradise. You have to know this spot, because there are no road signs, nothing", she said glancing over the scenery.

"Advertising through the word of mouth will soon bring an end to this place. There is the small fishing village." He points with his finger to the other side of the bay.

"Cute! Perfect to spend a weekend. Could we do it also, huh?", she suggested looking at him.

"I'll make a mental note", he said with a smile.

He started the car again and drove towards the houses. Once there he slowed down to look for the hotel.

"Stop! This is it", Nikki exclaimed.

He parked the car 50 meters further.

"Ok, let's question the owner", he said as they got out of the car.

"No, I'll do the second part of your secret war. I have now a better profile for it", she said.

"Ok, go for it." He answered and went to sit on the car bonnet.

Nikki padded inside and looked around. Nobody. The interior was rather old-fashioned, it urgently needed a refurbishment. Although, it had its charm and when you have to change it, the soul can disappear. But, if you use vintage lookalike material, then it keeps it. Maybe, would it be worthwhile to try?

Her look settled on the bell on the desk and she knocked it deliberately too hard to create a noise loud enough to bring her back to reality.

A middle aged man appeared.

She smiled.

 _That's funny, he really fits in this interior!_

"Hi, does Jim Roth and his wife stay here?", she asked with the biggest smile she could produce.

"Yeah, they do", the man answered.

"Well, I'm the daughter of a wine grower and Mr and Mrs Roth have ordered this morning five boxes of wine and they have also asked to deliver them at home. But the problem is that my father is already somewhat older and he forget to ask for their address. Mr Roth had said that they stay here. Can you give me their address?"

The man nodded, "Hmm, that's the problem with older people. They forget always something. Let's have look."

He took his register.

"Yeah, here they are. Mr and Mrs Jim and Sandra Roth. Allenby Street 14 in Seaforth."

"Oh great! Thank you Sir!", Nikki said and went out.

"And?", Dylan asked as she came closer to him

"Bingo! Allenby Street 14 in Seaforth", she answered with a smile.

"All right, here we go. Kate lives in the Ilka Road in Mosman", he concluded.

"Exactly he's cheating her. Come on, I want to have a look at that Allenby Street", she said as she opened the car door to get in.

They reached Allenby Street and he parked the car. It was a quiet street. The famous house was obviously closed, but they saw the neighbour in his garden and walked towards him.

"Good afternoon Sir, nice weather isn't it?", Nikki said addressing him.

The man looked to the brunette amusedly. "Yeah indeed."

"Sandra and Jim, do they live here next door?", she asked innocently.

"Yeah she does. And that is his name? Hmm, interesting", the man answered looking at the house next to him.

"Oh? Since when does he come here?", she let follow another innocent question.

He scratched the back of his head, "Pfft, a year I think. Why?"

"Oh nothing special, I just wanted to say hello. We're colleagues, you see."

"Bad luck lady, I saw them leaving with a suitcase for a holiday, I think", he said spreading his hands.

"Never mind, I'll come back later. Enjoy your day!", she said.

"Yeah, will do. The same for you both!", he said and turned back to his flowers.

Nikki tried to return quietly back to the car.

"And? What do you think?", Dylan asked.

"Sandra lives indeed here and _he_ comes here since _one_ year. _One_ year goddamn it! I'm fuming! He's having fun and Kate was about to burst into tears. Asshole! ", she ranted.

"Should she know?", she asked a few moments later.

"I don't know Nik. You know Kate, huh. She keeps problems to herself until the jar is full."

"Yeah, I know and then, bang! Let's find a café. I need a drink!", she said as they climb again into the car.

 _To be continued._


	7. Chapter 7 Friends

**Chapter 7 Friends**

In the end of the afternoon, Dylan and Nikki entered her parents' home again.

When they entered, it seemed that her mum was waiting for them. She noticed also a suitcase in the hallway.

"Ah, there you are. Love, I'm very embarrassed because I forgot to tell you that we were invited to my sister in Gosport for a few days. And now that you both have some free time to spend with us. It wasn't a last minute decision. No, it was already planned for two months. Really, I feel ashamed!", she mumbled nervously.

Nikki looked surprised, "Oh mum, that's not that bad you know. When?"

"Well uh, today. We were at the point to leave. Do you mind?", she asked sadly.

Nikki wrapped her arm around her mum's shouldes, "No mum, enjoy your stay with aunty and give her our greetings", she said.

Her mother's face lit up instantly. "Oh, that pleases me. I was worrying a lot about having to leave you both alone here".

Meanwhile her dad had also arrived. He looked irritated. "Finally", he mumbled.

"No, no, mum, dad, go for it and have fun", she said to encourage them.

"Oh fine!", her mother said by turning around to grab a coat, her handbag and shoes.

Dylan and Nikki waited patiently until they heard the car leaving and then they roared with laughter.

"I think that they would have wanted to leave a tad earlier, but they were stuck here because we've taken their car!", he said with a broad smile.

"Yeah, I think so. But then they should have said something this morning, no?", she said with a shrug.

"Exactly"

"And darling? Do you know what that means?", she asked playfully.

"That we have the house for us alone, you little hotspot!", he replied.

"Yeah! Let's build a gorgeous evening! And I'm going to pull on something else!", she replied before walking to their bedroom.

Nikki had changed her T-shirt and shorts for a short sun-dress with a large cut-out on her back. They had just finished supper and they were enjoying a last glass of wine at the table.

They were talking about the fact how to tell Kate and what to do.

"We have one fact, but Kate didn't give a clue if she knows or not. Can we just pop in and say, 'Hey Kate, do you know what we've seen?'. Tricky uh?", Dylan said.

Nikki sighed, "It's hard, but we have to do that for her. But, let's give her some time to react to our visit. But darling, let's put aside that issue for the moment and let's enjoy our evening. Just the two of us!", she said with a twinkle in her eyes.

Before he could answer, the doorbell rang.

Nikki sighed, "Not now!". She padded to the door to open it.

It was Kate. She looked sad, tired, desperate and vulnerable.

"Oh Kate! What a surprise!", she exclaimed.

 _Is this the same self-confident commander of the Darwin I met a few weeks ago?_

She was seemingly surprised by the joyful reaction of Nikki. She looked at Nikki's sexy dress and started hesitating.

"No, I'm sorry. It's a mistake. I'd better leave. I disturb you. Sorry.", she said gloomily with a lump in her throat, gesturing with her hand and wanted to turn back.

"No, no, Kate, please, come in." Nikki said while she grabbed Kate's shoulder and ushered her inside.

"No, it's a mistake, really, you both have surely somewhat better to do", Kate mumbled.

"No, no, not at all. As a matter of fact we're expecting you."

 _Honestly, I wanted to do something else. On the other hand, I didn't expect that it would be so quick. Even the same day._

"Is it?", Kate replied faintly

Meanwhile they reached the living room.

"Hey Kate, welcome. A glass of wine or some coffee?", Dylan greeted her enthusiastically.

"A wine will be ok", Kate answered softly.

Now they could have a better look at her. She stood quite forlorn in the living room.

Her eyes were red and puffy and it looked like she had decided to come at the last minute because the items she wore didn't match. Kate had put on a simple sand-coloured cotton dress and had slipped in the first shoes that she saw, a pair of black pumps. Her handbag was the black Navy model that didn't fit at all with the dress. She probably grabbed the first one at hand. Her hair was untied and hung freely over her shoulders.

She collapsed on the couch and it seemed to Dylan and Nikki that she had finally found some rest.

"Here you go", he offered her a glass of wine and put their two glasses on the coffee table.

"Thank you", Kate said accepting the glass. She took a small swig and put it down at the table.

"Kate, take your time," Nikki said and she sat down next to Kate. Dylan sat down in the opposite chair.

"I … I don't know … where to start." She stammered staring at the glasses on the table.

"I'm … at … the end", she said with a sigh and started crying.

"I … I don't … know … anymore…", she sobbed.

Nikki wrapped her arm around her shoulders and gave her a hug.

After a few minutes when she calmed down, Kate took another swig and tried again.

"I'm … I'm so sorry, I'm spoiling your evening", she said drearily.

"Don't worry about that. We are here for you", Dylan replied.

Kate took a deep breath and stroke her hair in her very typical way.

"Since you left this morning I felt miserable. I think that I've cried all day long realising I've chased away my only close friends. Instead of welcoming you, I was dull and blunt. I'm so sorry."

She took another sip.

"Seeing you both happy, I realised once more that my marriage was a mistake even before we were married. Maxine told me I would ruin Mike's career by starting a relation with him because he wanted to give up the Navy for me. The Navy was his life she said. I should have felt guilty if he had to give up his dream for me. I was so stupid to believe her and not to talk about it with Mike. Thus I ended it by myself and I wanted to make something of my life. I bumped into Jim again and I thought it should work with him. Initially it was. He was a distraction of all what I couldn't do and couldn't have with Mike. Moreover Mike pushed me further away with the Ryan affair and his relation with Maxine. But more and more I started to doubt. Even when I tried the wedding dress on I was persuaded that my destiny was with Mike and not with Jim, but Mike had a relation with Maxine again. So a relation with him had become a dream for me. On the other hand, Jim proposed and wanted to give me everything what I wanted. After the explosion of the dirty bomb on that yacht, he and Swain went through the eye of the needle and that day, he begged me almost to marry him. Jim was my only opportunity because Mike was already away. Thus I thought I'd learn to like this life like we have to do it in the Navy. But I couldn't do it. There is not a single day when I didn't think of Mike. "

Kate paused to drink. Nikki and Dylan silenced, processing her story.

She continued, "I really tried. Honestly! I've even adopted his name, Roth, Kate Roth, to get used to it!"

Then she looked at Nikki, "But you didn't huh? You've kept yours?", she asked.

Nikki shrugged, "Well, I'm Nikki Mulholland, but for the Navy, I wanted to stay Caetano. Two Mulhollands was for sure going to cause misunderstandings".

Kate nodded and smile sadly, "Yeah, you're cleverer than me".

She scowled, "I'm playing a role for almost six years now. Do you know how it is to play someone else? And just be yourself when you lie alone in your rack? At the end I didn't know anymore who I was, Kate McGregor or a stranger.

That's why we didn't come to your wedding. Jim insisted, but I refused. I didn't want to hurt me by seeing Mike again. Then I would have had to start all over again…"

She paused to swallow a lump in her throat.

"With regards to children, I've had another nut to crack. Jim can't have children. We made both tests and it turned out that the problem came from him. Another dream which flew away…"

Kate started crying again.

A bit later, she pulled herself together and continued.

"You've seen the house this morning? It's a cage, a fucking, gilded cage. At the end we see each other barely. I'm at sea and when I'm back he's on a mission, like now. He probably will return a few days before I'm boarding again, if I'm lucky. Otherwise, it will be a few days later!"

She took a deep breath and another gulp of wine. Dylan filled her glass again.

"My whole life is a mess, from the beginning. Quarrels in England between mum and dad and once in Australia, these filthy men around my mother and me. I had to do all the household chores, keeping my head cool under my mother's curses and despite all of that I've got my results at school. No fun, no parties. Nothing! Keeping a low profile. Then, the opportunity appeared to escape all this to join the Navy. I enrolled and followed the trainings at ADFA. Here also the nightmare continued. My classmates kept me at distance, I was pestered because my results were always the best. I had to. I had to achieve something, because I had no other choice. It was there that I met Mike. I know it was an impossible affair, he, a superior and me, a Midshipman and a student, but we managed. I felt happy for the first time in my life. And then, all of a sudden he was gone, he left me without saying one word. I was devastated. What have I done wrong? Did we both have the same career expectations? Did I ignore his feelings, I don't know", she rattled.

Kate took another sip.

"A few years later I met him again, on the Hammersley and that's the story you know also. At first, I hated him for what he did to me, but deep inside I still loved him without knowing it. I realised it after he had been hurt in Samaru. And I came back now where it all began. I screwed it up again. Honestly, I wondered several times what I was doing on earth. Everything I touch becomes a mess. Luckily I always have my ship, there I'm happy. There I can show I don't make a mess of everything. All what I do there has to be perfect, just perfect. I cannot fail there too, no, I can't….", she concluded and Kate emptied her glass.

A silence fell on the lounge and Nikki was rubbing Kate's back who was looking gloomily at the glasses, tears blinking in her eyes.

 _Jesus, what a mess, I had already had that feeling this morning. But that from Maxine and Kate's youth, I didn't know._

"It's ok, you're with us now", Nikki soothed her.

"It's only temporary you know. Within an hour or so it's again the real life", Kate said softly.

"Anyone?", Dylan asked showing the bottle.

Kate nodded, but Nikki shook her head and Dylan filled Kate's and his glass.

"Did you meet Mike again when you came back after the explosion?", Nikki asked.

"No, I didn't, but he tried to phone and to text me. He wanted to talk to me. He even came to my house."

"What did you do?"

"I didn't answer. He was at my front door and I begged him to go away. I couldn't go back anymore", Kate said huskily.

"Oh, Kate! And have you ever known what he wanted to tell you?", Nikki sounded disappointed.

Kate couldn't say anything anymore and shook her head.

"Hmm, I can only guess that it was about what you really desired."

"Oh, great! Make it worse, yes!", she said hurtfully while she tried to wipe the tears from her cheeks.

"Kate, about one thing you're wrong", Nikki said.

Kate lifted her head and glanced at her with a frantic was-I-wrong-again-about-something look.

"Mike has no relation with Maxine. I think that was a one-night stand. They are not living together and do not come or leave together. As far as I know he's still single."

Kate nodded and Nikki observed her friend.

 _Did I really see a sparkle again in these green eyes? Or do I want to see that?_

"Thus, there was no relation at the moment I married Jim?", Kate asked suspiciously.

"No Kate, there wasn't. He was still waiting for you", Dylan said

The sparkle was gone and Kate looked as if the ground gave away beneath her feet.

"No ?!", Kate blinked to keep away the tears.

They sipped from their glasses and processed the information just mentioned.

"Kate?", Nikki pushed off uneasily shifting on the couch.

"Hmm?", she stroke her hair.

"It's about Jim. We … uh … saw him yesterday evening at the Cerberus with … uh … someone else", Nikki said prudently.

Instantly she looked startled at Nikki.

"What? What did you say?", she asked huskily.

"He was yesterday at the Cerberus with another woman and he was very gentle with her", Nikki said carefully not knowing how Kate would react.

Kate looked again at the table and just shook her head. "I can't think anymore!", she said softly.

"He's on a mission. Abroad. How? The Cerberus? One of the best in the city. We've never been there together!"

"I have run a check through a mate. He's not on a mission. He's on holidays and he stays at a hotel at the bay to the south of Sydney. I'm sorry Kate." Dylan said.

Kate looked at him as if she saw a ghost.

"This afternoon we drove to there to check that out and it's true. It's a Sandra," Nikki added. Now it was Nikki's turn to receive a ghost glance.

"Well goddamn and I was at home cleaning that bloody, fucking house! We could have been together as well !", Kate exclaimed angrily and took a gulp.

Nikki paused a bit and looked at her friend.

 _That's the first time I hear her cursing…_

"Afterwards we checked out her address and according to a neighbour he comes there already more than a year."

Kate leaned back in the couch and covered her face with her hands.

"A year! More than a year!", she mumbled.

She looked again at Nikki and Dylan and nodded.

"I expected this. Deep in my heart I expected this, but when you hear it directly it's always hard. When I think back to these so called missions when I had shore leave, I don't know what to think. I was doing the housework and left a clean place for them when I went back on board. Awful. My God!"

Kate emptied her glass and gestured to Dylan for another one.

"Ok, ok, I was not the perfect partner, but I never cheated him. But this? Why didn't he talk to me?", she asked after taking another gulp.

Nikki shrugged and Kate looked around like she expected to find the answer in the room.

"What a mess. I don't know where to start", she said while she slumped.

Instantly she straightened her back again, "Luckily I still have my ship. Here I can't make a mess. Just to be perfect. No failures!", Kate said convinced and stroke again her hair.

"Uh, Kate?", Nikki tried to draw her attention again.

"Hmm?"

"In fact here's a problem too", she said unhappily.

"How come? A problem? Not with my ship, uh?", she reacted desperately.

"We know you will always be Princess Perfect, but here you are making a mistake and I'm afraid that this one will cost you your captain's chair."

" _No_ , _No_ , not my ship. They are not going to take _my_ ship! I'm not making a mistake! I'm controlling everything!" Kate said in panic widening her eyes.

"Kate, please listen. Your obsession to be perfect will ruin your career. You want to do everything according to the books so it is not human anymore. You don't have your balance anymore. Your 220 men don't stand behind you anymore. You're alone. You understand? The reason is that you don't let them breathe anymore. Do you know how they're calling you?"

Kate shook frightened her head.

"You're called the Step Mom or the Bitch. If it will come to a situation, the crew will not turn as an engine. On those moments you'll expect response from them, but there will be none. And that could be fatal for the ship. Actually the Darwin has already a bad name due to your behaviour. Today or the day after the Brass will know too and frigates are too expensive to spoil and you will be replaced. Remember Mike, Kate, he found that balance and he gave the crew breath. I'm trying to do that as well as Mike and I agree that there's still some way to go before reaching his level, but I can state that my crew stands behind me. Reinvent yourself Kate before it's too late", Nikki said convincingly.

Kate was wringing her hands and new tears were running down her cheeks.

"No, not my ship, they cannot take it away from me. It's all I have left. Is it really true that everything what I touch becomes a mess?", she asked, looking at Nikki.

Nikki and Dylan noticed that Kate started speaking with a pasty voice.

Nikki gave her friend a hug. "No, things won't go that far. Just remember how Mike did it and it will work. Just think at the situation how you reacted when we met each other at your bridge."

Kate didn't say anything anymore. You could see her thinking.

Finally she nodded and mumbled faintly, "Thhhank you."

They all three sat in silence thinking again about what had been said. Then Kate looked at her watch. "I'm so shorry, it's already that llllate. I have to go. Thank you for lissssstening."

Kate tried to get up, but fell back to the couch, "Oops!" She tried again and stood on her feet but she swayed slightly fore and aft and from left to right. When she put and unstable step forward, she lost her balance and tumbled aside. Dylan could just hold her before she would fall on the ground.

"Oh my goshhhh, I'm dizzzzzy." She stammered.

"No wonder Kate, you finished almost an entire bottle on your own", he said.

She tried to stand straight up, "But, I've… I've to… to go ho..ome", she slurred.

"Nope, you don't go anywhere", he said still holding her, "You stay here for tonight. That's better than worrying yourself in an empty house", Dylan said. He put her back on the couch, laid her legs on it and pulled off her pumps.

"Ssjure?", she tried to say.

"Yeah Kate, we're definitely sure about this!", Nikki said.

"Nik, you have a blanket? And you, Kate, have a comfortable night here. Here you're safe", he said.

"Hmmm", was the only thing Kate mumbled.

Within a second she was asleep and the couple looked at each other.

"Do we leave her here or shall I take her to your former room?", Dylan asked her.

"Nope, my parents have covered the bed with a thousand things. And we're occupying the guest room. We'd better leave her here", Nikki answered looking down at her slightly snoring friend.

"We have to look after her otherwise it doesn't come right", he said.

"Exactly. Hopefully she decides for a divorce. And I'm going to have a chat with Mike. Who knows?"

Then she turned around and looked at him. "Sorry darling, the evening has passed a bit different than expected".

He caressed her cheek, "No worries, this was much more important".

 _To be continued_


	8. Chapter 8 The end of a chapter

**Chapter 8 The end of a chapter**

Nikki woke up first. For a second she was confused where she was. At home, no, in her parents' house. She looked to the left to see that her husband was still sleeping. She slid out the bed and yanked open the curtains with a grin. Bright sunlight flooded the room.

Dylan groaned.

"Nah, my turn", she giggled as she looked at the grimace of her husband.

"Naughty", he grumbled.

"While you are coming back to the earth, I'm going to look at our sleeping beauty", Nikki said.

"Like that?", he mumbled opening one eye.

She looked down at her naked body.

"Hmm, not really" she mumbled and grabbed his T-shirt that she pulled over her head, but it came just under her bum.

"Yeah, _that_ , is going to be much better…", he deadpanned whereby she made a face to him.

"Just be careful not to bend!", he added with a grin.

"So what?! She has already seen my bum. We've shared a cabin on the Hammersley, remember!", Nikki replied before leaving the room.

Nikki passed first by the laundry cupboard to take a few towels.

As she walked into the living-room she saw that Kate sat already upright and was looking at her black pumps she had in her hands. Kate turned her head towards the door when she heard a movement.

"Ah, Kate, you're awake! Did you sleep well?", she asked her.

"Nikki, yes, thank you. It was the first time in months I could sleep at ease. But I have a headache", she said faintly.

"No wonder, you finished almost a bottle yesterday."

"Oh my gosh, did I? Hmm, I was just wondering where my thoughts were yesterday. These black shoes absolutely don't match my dress and the handbag doesn't either", Kate said with a wry smile.

"You were in a panic mode when you entered yesterday. Here, I have a couple of towels and a face flannel for you when you have a shower. You'll find shampoos in the bathroom", she said putting them down next to Kate on the couch.

"Thanks a lot", Kate replied giving Nikki a faint smile. "And thank you for listening!"

"Pleasure Kate! I'll be quick and I'll chase my husband", she replied with a wink.

When the bathroom was free Kate padded into it and looked around to find places to put and to hang her things. She undressed and stepped into the shower cubicle. She turned open the taps and had the warm water pouring down on her.

 _Hmmm, that feels good!_

 _My head is hurting. No wonder, an entire bottle on an empty stomach! Hopefully the water will wash it away._

 _It felt good to release my heart. It was almost suffocating me._

 _Jim? Why am I not surprised? It was as if you expected it. Are you upset? Of course, I am! I feel cheated and betrayed. Why did he keep his mouth shut? He fooled me when I did my best to love him, to make it work! If he had said something then we could have worked out something on a clean way. But he has just used me as a maid and as a funny object. And when it fit for him, he was 'on a mission'. And what for missions! Jeez! Now, I can put an end on that stupid marriage and I have a decent reason! I really don't know how to thank Nikki and Dylan for revealing this? Imagine that I would never have known!_

 _I think that a divorce can go quickly. We don't have children and there's a proof!_

Kate grabbed shampoo.

 _And what about my ship? It's the worse. I was persuaded of being on the right track. Apparently not. But is it true?_

 _Hmm, Nikki would never lie about it. She's too honest for that. She says that my crew isn't following me. What did I do wrong then?_

 _Although, I did everything strictly according to the books. So, what's wrong?_

Steve Marshall's voice popped up from the depths of her brain. She had just arrived in Cairns. She had entered his office and sat down.

' _Lieutenant, Kate, I've your file in front of me and your results are great. Your score at the ADFA was almost perfect and your career until now is impeccable. There's just one thing and it's the fact that you are lacking a certain degree of flexibility. And that's something you're not going to find in the manuals and every brass officer is going to deny it, but it is absolutely necessary. Nelson has also made it by searching for the grey areas and that's something you've to learn also. That's the main reason of your transfer from the big ships to patrol boats. Here you'll have more contact with the crew and civilians and then you can't hide yourself behind orders and rules!'_

 _She had looked shocked and gloomily at the same moment._

' _Six months Kate, only six. I think that you can survive that", he had said with a grin._

' _Oh besides, your CO will also learn something from you as well', he had added._

' _How sir?'_

' _Sticking a bit more to the rules', he had deadpanned with a grin._

' _Who's going to be my CO Sir?'_

' _Lieutenant-Commander Flynn'._

 _Kate had looked shocked and he had noticed it._

 _He had lifted an eyebrow, 'There's a rumour going on about you two…', he had said._

' _No sir! That's just a rumour. I have nothing to do with Mike Flynn sir!', she had fiercely reacted and he had said nothing anymore, but he had just looked at her with a mysterious smile._

 _Did I betray myself then?_

 _The old fox had been right! It has to work like on the Hammersley, with one difference, the frigate is 10 times bigger. How could I have been that blind? I've just fallen back into my old habits! Probably because I was over the moon with my own ship and that I've done my uptime best to make it work. Nikki, thanks again, otherwise I was on my way to become the commander of the garbage boat of the base._

 _So, Katherine, reinvent yourself. Today is the first day of your new life!_

She turned off the taps, opened the shower cubicle and reached for the towel.

A bit later, Nikki and Dylan stood outside in the garden with their arms around their waists, looking at the estuary. Kate who has just left the bathroom joined them.

"Good morning! Thanks for waiting for me for breakfast."

"Hey, good morning Kate, no problem, that's normal, isn't it?", Dylan replied.

"Thanks anyway", she repeated.

"Right, breakfast!", Nikki said enthusiastically.

"Bacon and eggs?", Dylan asked Kate.

"Oh, no! Do you want to roll me on board? It's a frigate not a cargo you know. Toast will do", Kate replied with a smile as they walked inside.

"Tea, coffee?", Nikki asked.

"Coffee please", Kate answered.

"How do you feel now?" Nikki asked after she swallowed a mouthful toast with a gulp of coffee.

Kate shrugged. "Confused. One moment I'm looking forward to what I'm going to do next and another one I feel so small when I think of what Jim did to me and what goes wrong on board. The situation on board is something that I can change, but Jim is frustrating and it makes me angry!", she ended fiercely.

She took a gulp of coffee.

"Thanks to you both I know where I am now."

"That's what friends are for", Nikki said.

"What are you going to do now?", Dylan asked while he poured another cup of coffee.

"I'm going to start a divorce proceedings. After breakfast I'll contact him. I guess he will not make a problem and I won't lift a single finger in that house! " Kate said convinced. "Can I use your PC for the mail?"

"Sure, but are you going to stay there?" Nikki asked.

"No way! I'm going to pack today and the Navy will surely have a room for a senior officer and in the worst case, I'll stay on my ship."

"Shall I ask my parents?", Nikki suggested.

"No, no thank you. You've already done enough for me. "

"And afterwards?", Dylan asked.

"What do you mean?", Kate asked.

"Mike?", Dylan replied.

Kate sighed. She felt the blush creeping up her face. She looked at her friends who were smiling and realised that she had betrayed herself.

She shook her head and looked at the table. "I'm afraid it's too late now. I screwed it up totally", she said disheartened.

"I don't think so. But, I'll talk to Mike", Nikki said.

"No, you can't do that. He will divine that", Kate said shaking her head.

"Love, don't worry, let me take care of, will you. Your job is to get rid of Jim, yes?", Nikki said.

After the breakfast Nikki showed up with her laptop so that Kate could get an internet connection to open her mail. Kate took a seat at the table, took a deep breath and started an email to Jim.

 **Jim,**

 **I've found out that you're having a relation with a woman called Sandra, and that already for more than a year. You can't deny it because I have a witness.**

 **Today, I'm starting the divorce proceedings. You can do your thing and I will have my life back.**

 **Kate**

She reread it and pushed the send button. Then she closed the email service and the laptop. She looked around to see Nikki and heard someone moving in the bedroom. Kate padded to there and poked her head inside. "So, sent."

"Nice! Relieved?", Nikki asked as she padded to her.

"Absolutely", Kate replied.

"Great! Good job!", said Nikki as she wrapped her arms around her to give her a hug.

When she released her, she saw tears in her eyes. "Ouch, tears?", she asked.

Kate shrugged and wiped them off, embarrassed, "Emotions. I'm just a roller-coaster inside.

"Just, let's give it some time Kate", Nikki replied.

Kate nodded.

A bit later, Kate walked to the couple in the garden.

"Nikki, Dylan, I really don't know how to thank you. You've given me new hope and you've opened my eyes again. "

"That's what friends are for", Nikki replied.

"But now, I have to go. I've all of a sudden an amount of work. I'm going to buy a few big suitcases and cardboard boxes and I'm going to pack all my things. It has to be done quickly, because I have to have left the house before he should arrive. Then, a lawyer to start the divorce proceedings. Then, Navcom to get an apartment and to change my name again. Hmm, they're going to like that. Finally packing and moving! ", she said with a smirk.

"Good plan Kate! Good luck!", Dylan answered.

"Right, she said and padded back inside. She grabbed her handbag, put on her shoes and looked again at her friends.

"Kate, promise us two things", Nikki said.

"Uh-hu".

"Keep in touch with us. Don't wait another five years, will you? And remember what I said about the balance on board. It's for your own good."

Kate nodded. "Yeah, I'll do. From the moment I'll know something or there is change I'll let you know. And sleep soundly; Step Mom is dead", she said with a smile.

They gave each other a hug and Kate left.

Nikki closed the front door and looked at her husband. She nodded, "And now on the way to convince another stubborn captain, uh?"

"You'll succeed. I know you. He will do everything to get rid of you!", he said with a smirk.

"Oh, you naughty!", she muttered and slapped him on his upper arm.

Dylan showed her another grin, "By the way, what are we going to do today?"

"Oh? I want to make that walk again that we've done five years ago", Nikki said.

"He nodded slowly, "And you want to see if your tree is still there?", he asked teasingly.

She poked him, "It was a pleasant walk, but we are not going to replicate it exactly!"

She padded to their room and came back a moment later holding a pair of shoes in the air. "And I'm not going to make the same mistake! I've brought my hiking sandals!", she said with a smirk.

 _To be continued._


	9. Chapter 9 A new commander

**Chapter 9. A new commander**

It was the last day of the three weeks shore leave for the HMAS Darwin crew. The next day the frigate would sail again.

Kate was wandering in her small navy flat, gathering and packing the things she needed for the next voyage. She made neat piles and then she checked her mental note to see if she hasn't forgotten anything. She nodded satisfied and started to put the piles in her suitcase. Next she turned to the large mirror on the wardrobe door and looked at her image. She was wearing a simple blouse and a three quarters pants. Her hair hung loose over her shoulders. She slipped into a pair of heeled sandals and looked again at her image.

 _Kate, this is the first step of your new start. Show them that you're human as well. They know their job, thus trust them. Allow a banter at the bridge, that'll keep the stress away. Speak to your people as colleagues. And don't nit-pick! Remember how Mike has managed it!_

She took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes mum… Oh my god what did I say?! That bitch!"

"Right! Let's go!", she said and grabbed her handbag, briefcase and suitcase.

"Pfft, I'm just a mule!", she muttered.

The sun stood already low above the horizon and the crew was returning alone or in groups.

Lieutenant-Commander Mark Thompson, the XO of the Darwin, stood at the gangway by the group of the officer of the day with a few NCO's and sailors. They were discussing the results of their favourite rugby team and they barely looked at the ones who boarded again.

All of a sudden one of the petty officers noticed a tiny blond woman a few meters from the gangway and he poked in panic the officer of the day. "Sir, the captain!"

"Damn! In position, quick!", he exclaimed.

The XO did a few passes backwards and made a face.

 _Shiiiiiit! Too late! She will certainly make a scene of it. We were chatting like we were in the pub. Strange, it's the first time she's in civvies when she boards otherwise we could have seen her from far._

"Take over her suitcase!", the XO snapped and one of the NCO's poked a sailor who hurried down the gangway to take her luggage.

Her heels clicked already on the gangway before the men could take position. They looked suspicious at her, knowing what was to come.

"Gentlemen!", she greeted them with a smile. "Carry on."

While she passed the XO, she said : "X, can you come to my cabin in a few minutes for a short message?"

"Yes ma'am."

She walked through and all of them looked to each other and breathed out.

"That was close!", a leading seaman mumbled.

"She, … she didn't say anything about the fact we weren't ready!", the officer of the day stammered confused.

"The captain said even 'carry on'", one of the petty officers said baffled, "Just like she didn't care what we were doing."

"She boarded in civvies?", another one said. "Never seen that before."

Mark shrugged. "I don't know, but I have to go to her cabin within a minute. Probably I'm getting the full load."

"Good luck!", the lieutenant who was the officer of the day said to him.

Mark threw him a I-shall-need-it glance.

A couple of minutes later he knocked unsure the door of her cabin.

"Come in!", he heard from inside.

He entered and looked around curiously with a barely imperceptible look. The suitcase stood next to her locker, both closed. The briefcase stood open and her laptop stood open on her desk. He noticed also that she stood on her bare feet.

"Ma'am, you wanted to see me?", he asked prudently.

"Yes, X, we sail at 14.00 tomorrow, direction Coral Sea, Arafuga Sea and Timor Sea. Details will follow tomorrow morning. And I wanted to tell you that you will sail with Commander McGregor from tomorrow on. So you sail with a new captain. That's all X."

"Oh, I see", he replied dryly.

 _What a hell am I supposed to say to this? It was a pleasure? No way! I'll remain neutral._

"When will the new commander arrive?", he asked her.

"Oh, the commander will be here tomorrow. Don't worry", she said with a smile. "Carry on."

 _Bitch! She doesn't give anything away._

"Ok, ma'am. Do you come to the longroom for dinner?"

"No thanks X, I've already eaten something."

"Ok ma'am, see you tomorrow", he said while turning to the door.

"Yeah, ok."

After he closed the door, he grumbled. "Goddamn, what is she up to? That smile, that twinkle in her eyes. It doesn't look good. For sure it has to do with the mess of the guard."

 _Was she going to pack? I couldn't determine. Her suitcase was still closed. But… that sailor was carrying her suitcase like it was full! Maybe that she goes away? Because she didn't elaborate on the details of the voyage either, that means that she isn't really interested. Damn, what a fucking, crazy game is going on here?_

Automatically he walked to the longroom without realising that he was going there. He bumped into their navigator, Lieutenant John Blackwood.

"Hey Mark, you're looking gloomy. Have you gotten up again the rough side of the captain's tongue?"

"No John, she came on board in civvies and we didn't see her. Thus no guard, no salute. Shit man, we stood there chatting, just like in a pub and all of a sudden she stood on the gangway", Mark said.

"Ouch, you were toasted", the other deadpanned.

"No and that's just the weirdest. She didn't give me a remark, none of us! She was extremely kind. And that's something that I don't trust. But the good news is that she will be replaced by another commander tomorrow."

"Hmm, that's good news. That cannot be worse! Anyway, you walked through the eye of the needle man!" , the navigator said rubbing his chin.

"Yeah definitely. I need a drink, to celebrate this!", Mark said convinced.

"Exactly, I'll drink one with you on that", John replied and they walked to the bar to order their drinks.

The next morning, Mark had arranged a full guard on the gangway to welcome the new captain. He was nervously pacing around looking at his watch.

 _Damnit! Where is he… or she? I don't have time for the entire morning!_

Kate approached from the other side. She wore her DPNU and she looked amused at the funny scene on the gangway.

Mark noticed her and was surprised to see her in camo.

"'morning ma'am, but I haven't seen the new captain yet", he said ill-at-ease.

 _If she tells me that I missed out on him, then I'm not sure to be able to control myself. I've been walking a hole in the floor for one and a half hour already!_

"She's already on board. You can dismiss them", she answered with a slight smile.

 _Oooh, SHIT!_

"But ma'am?", he asked completely baffled.

 _What? The invisible man? No, she said 'she'. Thus, it's a woman. Then she must have boarded before dawn? And the guard hasn't seen her? Goddamn, he was asleep for sure. I'll kill that man._

"Don't worry Mark. I'm Commander McGregor", Kate deadpanned.

"Uh?"

He was confused and startled. It was the first time she called him by his first name. He arranged a special guard that was not necessary and now she said that she's the new commander. Then he noticed the difference in name on her name tag.

Kate noticed his glance at her name tag.

"I thought that you knew what my maiden name was. I'm getting a divorce and I took back my original name, you see. Commander Roth is gone. This one will be better", she said with a smug smile.

"Ah, I see. Ok, ma'am."

 _No wonder that she's getting a divorce. Who on earth will marry that bitch?_

The rumour spread through the ship as a running fire and everyone was curious to know how the same person could be better, just by changing of name.

At the bridge they looked suspicious at her, but at the end of the day they realised that the snapping was gone. Minor situations were corrected by asking and innocent things like small chats were ignored. The officers noticed also that they were more called by their first name instead of their rank or function.

When they were a couple of weeks further the crew realised that their boss accepted jokes and banter and they discovered that she had a feeling for dry humour as well.

One evening Mark stood at the quarterdeck together with his friend, the navigator.

"John, I don't know what happened with her. She's so different since the previous voyages. It's even she's a different person and not even her name", Mark said as he leaned with his arms on the railing next to the navigator.

"Correct. Hardly to believe. Now she discusses everything what is not exactly what she had in mind. In the past she would have snapped at you like a cadet."

"Yeah, sailing is now a pleasure and we discovered that she has a sense of very dry humour. And I think she will join us when we have shore leave in a foreign port."

"Yeah, I have that feeling too. I'm just wondering who had the magic to change her behaviour." John wondered.

"Hmm, don't know, although, when I'll see Nikki again. She's the commander of the patrol boat with they guy who broke his leg. I'll ask her. She says she's her friend and she was going to speak to her. Maybe she knows more."

"Wow, there was someone who could talk to that woman? Almost unbelievable! I want to meet that famous Nikki. She must be Wonder Woman", Johan said stretching his back.

 **A couple of weeks ago in Cairns**

Nikki and Dylan came back from Sydney and Nikki started a new patrol. That one ended also and she had shore leave in Cairns. Dylan was wandering in their garden to check the flowers.

"Nik, did you hear anything from Kate yet?", he asked her returning from the garden to the house.

Nikki padded from the living room to the garden, "A few emails. The divorce proceedings were initiated and she has got a small flat from the Navy. She seemed to be in a good mood. The last one was from the ship. She told that she handles the things differently and the relation with the crew has improved as well. She added also literally between brackets that she had to bite on her teeth not to explode by some situations on board."

He laughed, "I can imagine it! I see already her face in front of me. Yeah, the chat of that evening was really a turning point for her", he said.

"Yeah indeed. We were just in time", she replied as she looked to the blue sky and sensed the air.

"Do you think she will still focus on Mike?", he said as he bent to pluck some weeds.

"Sure, did you notice how red she became when you mentioned Mike last time?"

"Yes, I did."

"That's an obvious proof. The only problem is to bring these two stubborn people together", Nikki replied leaning to the door frame.

"Did you already speak to Mike?"

"No, otherwise I would have told you. First, I wanted to see what happens with Kate. There's no need to give people a false hope."

"Hmm, when are you going to do that? Or shall I? I'm at Navcom all days."

"I think I would have had more chance. I was his navigator and Kate's closest friend. If you would meet him in a pub, then ok. That's another environment, you see. But, when I'll leave for another patrol, I'll see Mike and I can gauge his feelings."

 _To be continued._


	10. Chapter 10 Meeting at sea

**Chapter 10 Meeting at sea**

The next day, Nikki and Dylan arrived together at Navcom. He, for doing his job as Maxine's assistant and Nikki to pick up her orders for the patrol she had to start later that day. But she had other plans too.

She knocked the doorway of Mike's office. She noticed he was reading one of the many files which were on his desk and he looked rather gloomy. The office was spacious with a meeting table, a coffee table and a couple of tub chairs around. Behind his desk there was also a scale model of a ship, not a wooden frigate like in Maxine's office, but a scale model of the Cerberus monitor.

He lifted his head and got a smile on his face when he saw Nikki.

"Hey Nikki, come in."

"Hi boss, have you got a minute?", she asked as she walked inside.

"Sure, take a seat and how are you doing with Dutchy?", he said putting down his pen.

"Great boss, I never felt that happy in my life", Nikki said with a radiant smile as she sat down.

He smiled. "Nice, nice and how's the command going?"

"Super boss, it's a wonderful experience. But, I've had a good teacher."

He returned her a grin as response.

"Yeah, good for you. I wished I could switch with you. Back at sea, instead of this office."

"But boss, you've got your promotion as captain?"

"Indeed, I know, I asked for a shore posting years ago and I've got it, but I missed the main goal", he said sadly.

 _That was obvious!_

"Boss, off the record, did you hear from Kate or did you see her recently?"

Mike threw instantly a glance at Nikki like he was stung by a wasp.

"No. Shortly after the explosion she asked for a transfer which she got rather quickly and since then I haven't heard from her anymore."

"Hmm, have you spoken to her before she left?"

Mike shrugged. "I wanted to talk to her. I wanted to make a final attempt to win her for me, but she has refused all contact. I've also tried to call and to text her, but she didn't answer. Finally I went to her house to have a face to face contact, but she didn't let me in. She asked, or better said, it sounded like she begged me to leave her alone. It was weird, what she asked did not seem to correspond to how she sounded", he said down.

 _Hmm, it must have been a very dramatic moment for both of them._

"What did you do next?" Nikki asked prudently.

"Nothing! What else could I do? Game over. Dutchy had told me the reason but I didn't get the chance to convince her", he replied embittered.

"Uh, Sir, do you know someone else now? Rumours go around that there's something going on between you and Max.. uh Commander White", she asked carefully.

He glared at her. "No, certainly not! Maxine and I are friends, but we do _not_ have a relation. And I would also like to know which idiot has created that rumour!", he said irritated.

"I'm sorry sir, but I don't know either, but what would you do if you could see Kate again?", she asked, trying to sooth his irritation by the question about Kate.

Mike shrugged, "Forget it Nikki, it's over. She's married. No chance!", he said shortly.

"Hmm, and yet I sense something else…", she said casually.

Mike straightened his back and scowled, "Nikki, I …", he started irritated.

She sensed it was highly time for a strategic fall-back.

"Boss, I think I have to go. I need to see Maxi… uh Commander White for my orders", she said quickly rising from out of the chair.

It had an immediate effect on Mike. He smiled and shook his head hearing how Nikki made a slip of the syntax again.

At the moment that she walked through the doorway, she stopped and poked her head back in.

 _Ok, time to put my best trump card on the table!_

"Uhm, by the way, boss, Kate is divorced. I thought you have to know that", she said with a smile and walked further still with the smile on her face.

 _It's a pity that I can't see his face right now!_

Mike stared at the empty doorway and processed the conversation with Nikki and especially her last sentence. He opened a drawer of his desk and took out a small photo of Kate and looked at it.

He shook his head and put it back. Then he rubbed his face with his both hands.

 _Don't make yourself illusions mate. She's in Sydney, and you are here. Impossible._

Nikki passed behind Dylan's desk and she slid with her hand over his back.

"Hey, and?" He asked as he looked up.

"As planned. I've pushed as far as I could go and I escaped just before he could throw me out. But…I blew the fire again. His body language told me it's certainly not over yet", she said softly.

She continued whispering, "And he has no relation with…" and she rolled her eyes.

He nodded, "Hmm, got it."

"Now, I've to go to Maxine now. See you", she said tapping his back.

"Yep. Fair winds!"

 **One week later in the Arafura Sea.**

 **4:00 am**

Bird was knocking frenetically at Nikki's cabin door.

"Ma'am, we have problem !", she said nervously.

"Grmmbl …. Wait….. Co…ming….", Nikki grumbled while getting awake.

She swung her legs out of her rack and rubbed her face to wake up. She slept in panties with an old T-shirt. She grabbed her trousers and put it on and opened the door.

"Bird, what's up?", she tried to say firmly.

"It's 2Dads ma'am. He is complaining about pain in his abdomen on the right side. I think it's an appendicitis attack", she said nervously.

"Ouch, doesn't sound good. Wait, I'm coming with you", Nikki said all of sudden awake.

She slipped into a pair of slippers and followed Bird to the ward. He was lying on the table and clenched his abdomen with both hands. His face had turned pale and sweat formed droplets on his forehead.

"What did you do already?", Nikki asked.

"I gave him a pain killer and it looks like it helps a bit. It calmed him down. But this is urgent. If we don't transfer him to a hospital it could be deadly", Bird said looking at her patient

"Right, I'll see where the nearest ship is with a operation room or maybe a helicopter that could take him to the mainland. Try to calm him down."

"Ok boss."

Nikki grabbed the phone to call the bridge.

"Bridge", she heard.

"This is the CO speaking. Make a call to Navcom to know where the nearest ship is. We need a Medivac for an appendicitis attack", she ordered and left for the bridge.

On her way to the bridge she knocked at the XO's door.

"Jack, wake up, we have a situation", she said out loud.

Quicker than expected he opened the door wearing only his trousers.

"Ma'am, tell me?" , he said.

She lifted surprised her eyebrows.

 _Hmm, was he asleep or just waiting behind the door until I knocked on it?_

He looked at her suspiciously, tangled black hear, the far too wide yellow T-shirt, camo-trousers and pink slippers and he could hold back a smile just in time.

 _That's a Nikki I have never seen before! And that T-shirt is for sure from her husband. Bird could slip inside too and even then you would still have enough space!_

She could read his thought, "Yes, I know, I'm looking like I just crawled out of the laundry bin, and I feel also like that, but it's now about 2Dads. He's suffering from an appendicitis attack and he needs to be transferred asap."

"Ok, I'm coming", he said as he went back into his cabin to grab his T-shirt and jacket.

She arrived on the bridge with her XO on her heels.

"And? News from Navcom?", she asked.

"Ma'am, the HMAS Darwin is the nearest by at 160 miles", said the radio operator who was in service.

"That's 4 hours of steaming, if we steam to each other at a speed of 20 knots", Jack remarked.

"Right, we have no alternative, XO, set a course to the Darwin", she ordered.

"Steer 0-9-5. Maximum revolutions!", he ordered.

"Steer 0-9-5. Maximum revolutions", the man at the helm repeated.

"The Darwin, again?", he asked suspiciously.

"Why Jack?", she replied.

"Oh, seen the previous encounter, I have so my thoughts", he replied.

"Well, I think you're going to be wrong this time", she said with a mysterious smile.

"If you say so ma'am."

"You don't believe me huh?", she said with a smirk.

He didn't say anything on that anymore but his face told more than thousand words.

"Anyway, I go for a shower, because I feel like a rag doll", she said and walked down the staircase to her cabin.

 **HMAS Darwin**

 **6:00 am.**

Mark Thompson, the XO, came to the bridge and saw that Kate was sitting in the captain's chair.

"Uh? Morning ma'am. So early?", he greeted her.

"Morning X. Indeed, we have an emergency case. The officer on duty warned me. We have to pick up a sailor who needs urgent surgery. An appendicitis attack."

"Ouch, that's not good. Do you think that our doctor will be able to handle it?", Mark asked

Kate lifted her eyebrows while looking at him, "I hope so. He's a surgeon. If not, God save us", she deadpanned.

She continued scowling, "The question is : does he want to do such a delicate operation at sea! I guess he will because the sea is calm, but I'm not a doctor so I cannot judge."

"Hmm, and from which vessel will that sailor come from?"

"The Hammersley."

"Again? First a broken leg, now an appendicitis attack. That's not a healthy ship", Mark exclaimed.

"I would suggest you don't say that to its captain. I know her Italian temper and she would be able to scratch your eyes!", Kate said with a grin.

"I know Nikki too and she has indeed a temper. We served together on our first ship."

"Oh yes, is it? ", Kate asked interested.

"Yes, we were both sub-lieutenants and that was on the Sydney…", he started to tell.

 **Two hours later**.

The patrol boat had reached the frigate and they sailed side by side.

"HMAS Hammersley to HMAS Darwin. We are ready to transfer the patient", Nikki passed the message via the radio while looking at the three times bigger ship next to them.

"HMAS Darwin to HMAS Hammersley. We're ready to receive him", sounded the voice at the other end.

Nikki nodded and gave the microphone back to RO.

"X, you have the ship. I go to the other side as well", Nikki said.

"Boss, are you sure you want to do that? Last time you came back in such a bad mood that we took advantage of it", Jack sounded concerned.

"Oh? Was it?", Nikki answered really surprised.

"Oh yes it was. You criticised everything. Even Bird could do no good in the galley according to you", he said.

"Hmm, I wasn't aware of that. But it's not pleasant when they make look you like a fool! And for the entire bridge, with a lot of subordinates around you", she grumbled.

"I want to see how the situation is there now and… agree, it's a risk, not only for me, but also for you all", she said with a grin.

"Promising!'", he said doubtfully. "Ok, XO has the ship!", he announced.

Nikki walked down and followed the men who carried 2Dads on board. The XO of the Darwin stood at the gangway to observe the operation.

"Hey, Nikki, you pay us a visit again?", he said surprised as she came aboard

"Yep Mark, I want to see how she is", she replied.

"Yeah amazing. She's completely different. Just like it's another person and not only her name."

"Indeed, I feel it. Last time you had even fear from your own shadow."

Nikki walked together with Mark to the bridge where she met Kate.

Nikki grinned internally.

 _Curious, exactly the same posture as the previous time, also with her hands in her back and the same serious face._

"Hi Kate, how are you?", she asked with a smile. But this time Kate reacted quite differently.

"Hey Nikki, just in time for a brew and breakfast, will you?" She asked enthusiastically.

"X, you have the ship." She said to Mark who had followed Nikki.

They both left the bridge and Nikki followed Kate to the officers' mess where they took a mug of coffee and a doughnut. Next they looked for a free table, because the majority of officers were there for their breakfast.

"Kate, I sense a difference, isn't it", Nikki said as they sat down.

"Yeah, I followed your advice, however it cost me and sometimes it still costs me lots of effort. But on the other hand we are forming a team now. And I must say that the sorrow about Jim is part of the past. He didn't make objections about the divorce. I think he's also happy to be able to move forward with his own life."

"Good, good to hear that", Nikki said before biting from her doughnut.

"Kate, I need to ask you something serious", she said after swallowing that piece.

"Just shoot", Kate replied holding the mug with her both hands.

"Have you still feelings for Mike?"

"Yes, absolutely. But I don't know if the feeling is mutual. Why?"

"Hmm, what would you think if I had a chat with Mike?", she asked to gauge Kate's reaction.

Kate looked at her friend suspiciously, "Did you become insane? He'll throw you out before you say the first word!"

Nikki looked amused at Kate.

"Well, I've already spoken to Mike!", she said decisively.

Kate rolled her eyes, "Here we go! You've become insane!". She looked around "I'll ask our doctor to look at you".

"You'll not find him, he's digging into 2Dad's right now", she replied dryly.

Kate didn't say anything but glared at her.

Nikki continued, "I had a chat with him before I left and he didn't say it with that much words, but he still feels something for you too."

"But, Maxine?", Kate asked scowling.

"No, I almost asked him directly and he was affirmative that it was not."

"And he told you? And he didn't throw you out?", Kate asked baffled.

Nikki leaned back with a smug smile on her face, "'l'm going to talk to him! As far as I understood, you never did".

Kate glared at her for an instant and then she shrugged, "Hmm, but he'll never want me back after all that happened. I've fooled him. He had his expectations and I've smashed them into pieces", Kate said gloomily.

Nikki leaned back forward, "Kate, come on, you both have feelings for each other. Why don't you take contact with him?"

"Oh Nikki, how can I do that?", Kate exclaimed and looked even gloomier to one of the walls of the mess. It was louder than normal so that a few other officers in the mess looked curiously in the direction of their CO, surprised to see her so emotional for the first time.

"Yes, you can."

She looked back at Nikki, "No!. Impossible. Can you image what he will say when I'll call him to say 'Yoohoo I'm back, you may love me again'. He will chase me away and then I come back from where I started. Even worse. Then I would have made a fool of myself", she said fiercely with a muffled voice and glassy eyes.

The other officers stirred uneasy on their chairs. They realised all of a sudden that their commander had been hiding herself behind an untouchable facade during all these months to hide her own pain and sorrows.

Nikki threw her and angry look, "You're laughing at me while I'm doing efforts for you both. Yes, go on, say that in that way! Smash your own happiness!", she snapped.

Kate dropped her eyes, "Sorry Nik! But Mike is not a fool! I've hurt him too much".

Nikki sighed. "Kate, how can you be so stubborn? Damn! You are just as bad as that man in Cairns. That's also such a stubborn nature!"

Kate shrugged and stared at blank in the mess.

The officers pricked up their ears.

 _Cairns? Who's the daredevil who dares to love their commander? For sure he must have gloves to handle her!_

"Well, then you don't know me yet" , she said stubbornly.

"I'm going to do efforts to bring you both back together. "

"But…"

"I don't want to hear a word! You're just going to keep yourself busy with your crew and your ship and you leave the other affair to me, yes?", Nikki said fiercely.

Kate nodded.

The other officers looked from out of the corner of the eye both women at that table.

 _Wow, who is this Lieutenant-Commander who has such a huge influence on their untouchable captain? God bless the men of that patrol boat!_

"I'll keep you in touch, and trust me, I'll fix it. Just do what I'll say in a email or text. And now I'll leave, otherwise my concerned XO is capable to organise a search and rescue operation on the southern half round to find me."

"Ok. Thanks a lot Nikki."

They stood up. Kate threw a glance at the other officers who were all of a sudden very busy with their breakfast.

 _You rascals, you've heard everything. Before noon, the whole ship will know. I can put a cross over my dignity now!_

 _To be continued_


	11. Chapter 11 Convincing Mike

**Chapter 11 Convincing Mike**

Nikki had left the officers' mess and had returned to her own ship.

"Jack, did it take long?", she asked her XO as she came back at the bridge.

"Well uh, boss, I thought for a moment you had been hired aboard the Darwin and that I would have the ship", he said dryly.

"Nope, I had to come back to protect the crew from you", she replied with a grin.

"Hmm, Ok, got it, laud and clear. But, how was it?", Jack asked.

She looked at him with a raised eyebrows, "You're really a curious man, isn't it? But, good, I think it's a lucky ship now."

"Nice, otherwise it should be a pity. For all of them", he said nodding.

 **Cairns**

A week later Dylan was waiting at the pier when the Hammersley entered the naval port. He stood a little aside from the usual group of sailors who were watching when one of their ships came back.

He smiled when he saw his wife waving from the bridge after the vessel was safely moored. They walked to each other and they met at the gangway.

"Hey sweetie, how was your patrol?", he asked her after giving her a kiss.

"Great, apart from 2Dads who has been evacuated with an appendicitis attack."

"Yeah, I know, he has been transported from the Darwin with a chopper. I think he's already up and about because I've seen him last night in one of the pubs and he had obviously quiet some fun."

"Ok, that's good. Not that he's my favourite sailor, but he has improved a lot and in difficult situations he's reliable."

Nikki's eyes became bigger, "Hey? What do I see? Another band?", she noticed surprised when she saw his shoulder boards, now with two gold bands of a full Lieutenant.

"Yep, promoted to Lieutenant. ", he said with a smile.

"Oh darling that's great! Since when?"

"A week", Dylan said dryly.

"Ooh! And you haven't said anything!", Nikki replied indignantly.

He chuckled, "I wanted to keep that as a surprise."

"You naughty!", and she slapped him on his arm and gave him a pouting face.

"You know what? We're going to have diner tonight to celebrate it", he said as he caressed her cheek.

"Wonderful idea, but first, I'm going to finish my job here on board", she said.

That evening the couple sat at a terrace of a local restaurant, enjoying their meal. The temperature was fine and there was an agreeable slight breeze.

When Nikki had finished her dish, she leaned back in her chair and stretched her legs. "What do you want more? A good, long shower, a sun dress, slippers, your husband, a drink, good food. Far more better then rough camo trousers, heavy sea boots and the smell of grease and soup", Nikki said, before grabbing her glass to sip from the wine.

"Well, from time to time, I want to switch with you. Sometimes it becomes a bit boring at Navcom. Even Mike became more serious", he said.

"You'll never know in the Navy. Maybe within a few years, you're at sea again?", Nikki replied.

"Yep, the Navy is unpredictable. And you?", he asked her.

"Well, I'm happy with what I'm doing and I don't want to go further. I think that I'm going to do this until my retirement. But… that doesn't mean that our situation has to be steady, no?", she asked.

He frowned, "What? I can't follow you honey".

She rolled her eyes, "I mean we could to be three. Clear enough now?"

"Aaah! I've got it!", Dylan replied.

"Jeez, men always need a drawing when it comes to certain subjects", she grumbled.

"Well, we'll make a test tonight!", he said whereby she returned him a smirk.

"But how was the situation at the Darwin?", he asked.

Nikki sat upright again. "Miraculous! Kate is completely different. I spoke to her and to her XO. Kate was kind and friendly and she realises now that not everyone can be perfect like she wanted to be. She's working on it and it works. But that's not what you can say about her relation. That's as stuck as can be."

"How?"

"She loves Mike, but I can't deduce if she's too proud or too afraid to approach him to date. She's persuaded that he will not accept her because she had sent him away five years ago. "

"She can always try, can't she?"

"That's just the point. She's more afraid to hear a 'no', than to hear a 'yes'."

"And now?"

"I told her that she has to keep herself busy with the ship and that I will take care of Mike."

"Hmm, that's a serious challenge! What are you going to use for that?" He asked her thoughtfully.

"Yeah, laugh at me", Nikki answered a bit piqued.

"When are you going to start with your impossible mission? And when is the deadline?"

"Ah, tomorrow. I'm going to put my uniform on, especially to see Mike. Kate will arrive back again in Sydney within three weeks. Perfect fit. Then I'm back from a patrol and she can come over."

Dylan nodded. "It sounds that you have a plan and you are already convinced of your success?"

"Of course, you silly."

He didn't say anything anymore, but just looked at her in silence.

"You don't believe me huh?", she asked.

He lifted his hands, "We'll see, we'll see, but Mike is a hard nut to crack!"

The next day, Nikki, complete in white shirt and trousers, knocked on Mike's doorframe.

"Hey Nikki, come in, what can I do for you?", he asked joyously as he noticed her.

She padded inside, "Good morning boss. I have an off the record question."

"Ah? Take a seat and shoot", he offered her.

"Do you remember our last conversation? About Kate?", she asked.

"Yes, I do".

"Have you thought about it since then?"

"Hmm, yes I did", he answered, not really sure in which direction Nikki wanted to go.

"Last time, I sensed that you still have feelings for her, isn't it?", she tried prudently.

He shifted uneasy on his chair.

 _Yes, your body language says enough!_ , Nikki thought.

"Uh, as a matter of fact, I still like her." He said nodding.

 _Not that shy Mike, you're still crazy of her. Here's contact. I can go further._

"Did you take contact with her?"

He leaned back in his chair.

"No, how can I? Last time you told me that she has divorced. She knows probably already someone else. It goes like that usually. When you divorce, there's already someone else. Moreover, for sure she will ignore me, just like last time", he said in defence.

"No, she's still single. Why don't you give it a try? You both were good together", Nikki tried again.

He lifted his eyebrows. "Together? I wouldn't say that. Our hands were tied, you know. I was still posted on the Hammersley and she too. The few occasions during shore leave were scare and at the end it was she who ended it. She didn't even elaborate on it. I couldn't understand it, because we had already booked a voyage to Tahiti together".

He shook his head, "No, I'm not going to get another 'no' if I still had to ask her", he answered embittered.

 _Ai, ai, this is going to be tough._

"Hmm, I see, and it doesn't help when I insist?"

"No, I'm sorry Nikki", he replied firmly.

"Ok boss, then I'll leave you. Thanks for your time. See you later."

"Ok, see you later", he replied plainly.

Nikki stood up and left his office feeling angry.

 _Aargh! Damn stubborn guy. As worse as the one on that ship._

She padded to her husband who saw her coming. On her facial expression he could guess that it had become a flop.

"And?", he asked her.

"Nope!", she answered with her hand deep in her pockets.

"That was to be expected", he said.

"Shut up!", she grumbled, looking away angrily.

"Fancy a brew? I think you need it."

She sighed, "Yeah, indeed, I need one, and a big one!"

"And hopefully a real on, not that brown water that they call coffee here!", she grumbled.

They stood up and walked to the officers' mess.

A few minutes later they stood at a high table, with their cups of coffee.

"Luckily it's good coffee here", she said after she had taken a sip.

"Did you really think that it would have been that easy?", he asked her.

Nikki shrugged, "Oh, I'm in fact angry at myself. In such cases, I'm always too naïve and too optimistic. Then it hurts when you get the door at your nose, you know".

"How did it go?", he asked.

"Awful. So stubborn. He still loves her, but he doesn't want to say it directly and when I start talking about making contact with her, he pulls up walls. She has someone else. She ended it. I'll get a 'no'. That kind of things. Really, every excuse is fair enough. He's more afraid to be rejected, than having a good relation!", she said angrily.

"I was already afraid of that."

"No wonder that their relation didn't work. They are both so proud and so stubborn that they don't want to talk to each other."

"What now?"

Nikki lifted her eyebrows while she was drinking

"Hmm, the secret weapon. I'm going to talk to Maxine. But not here, this evening, in private, then there are no hierarchical barriers of the Navy."

"And do you think that that will work?", Dylan asked while playing with his cup. At the bottom of the cup, a remains of coffee was turning circles.

"Stop playing! Within a second you'll make spots and it's a fresh shirt!", she said concerned.

He put down the cup.

"I've become prudent now, but there's a great chance that it might work. If Maxine wants to do it and if Mike wants to listen and if Kate wants to come and if the other two don't bit their heads off", Nikki said thoughtfully.

"Yeah, honey, I wish you good luck, but there're quite some 'ifs' in this plan", he said.

Nikki ' at him, "Don't you want that it succeeds? Ok, you're right, there are a lot of ifs here, but I really want to give it a chance. She also has helped my when I lost Josh, now it's my turn. Her visit to us was an ultimate scream for help, although she didn't say it literally. You know also how private she is", she said fiercely.

"Hey, don't bite my head off. I want that too, but I'm trying to be realistic", he said lifting his hands in defence.

She dropped her eyes, "Sorry, I know, it's just my Italian temper. Sometimes it takes control of me".

"Never mind, but I've to go now. I don't want that Knocker to be near us within a second", he said.

"Yeah, let's go. In theory I have shore leave", Nikki said as both started to walk away from the table.

Nikki went to Maxine's office and knocked on the doorway.

"Ma'am?"

Maxine looked up. "Nikki, tell me."

"Would it be possible for me to come to you this evening to ask you something off the record?"

"Uh? Yes, of course." She looked questioningly at Nikki.

"Ok, thank you. See you this evening."

Maxine stared with lots of questions through her window to Nikki who left the operation room.

That evening Nikki rang at Maxine's apartment. When she entered she was a bit surprised to see a different Maxine. Not so reserved, more open. She had loose hair and wore a T-shirt over a dark blue trousers.

 _Hmm, that will make the conversation a bit easier._

"Nikki, take seat. What can I do for you? Something fresh? Wine, juice? Or coffee?"

"A juice is fine", she replied.

"Ok, moment", Maxine said as she padded to the kitchen.

Meanwhile Nikki's curiosity took over and glanced around. She noticed dark, warm colours, a heavy coffee table in white and yellow metal with a heavy glass plate. The other furniture was in the same style. Club chairs in velvet with wood.

 _Hmm, that's her style? Looks expensive and heavy. Although not my style, even far from that! It looks too old for me._

"Here you go", Maxine said as she entered the living room and she put the glass on the coffee table on a cork glass mount.

Nikki noticed that she had a glass of sherry in her hand.

"Thank you ma'am", she said and took a sip.

"Shoot Nikki, what do you want to ask?", Maxine pushed directly.

Ma'am, as a matter of fact, it's not for me, but for a common friend, namely Captain Flynn, Mike."

"And what about Mike?", she asked slightly frowning.

"Well, he feels for Kate, Commander McGregor…."

"Again? Hmm, why am I not surprised", she mused.

For an instant, Nikki was confused by Maxine's reaction, but she quickly got on track again.

"No, no, still !"

"Hmm, I see. But isn't she married?", Maxine said as she leaned confidently back in the club chair.

"No, not anymore. She's divorced. I've had a chat with both and they told me that they still have feelings for each other, but I noticed that both don't want to make the first step. They fear that the other one would say no."

"Understandable, but why are you telling me this?", Maxine asked before taking a sip.

"Hmm, it's a difficult question and I don't know your feelings for Mike...", Nikki said unsure.

" _Pardon_?", Maxime replied indignantly as she sat upright.

"Listen Nikki, this question passes all bounds and I want to say that it's none of your business, but I know that stupid rumour also and when I say that's none of your business, then I'm just confirming that there's something going on. So, I'm not going to do that because I want to get rid of that bloody idea. I'm really wondering which nutcase had created that!", she said angrily.

"I'm really sorry for the question ma'am, but Kate is persuaded that you have a relation with him."

"Mike and I? No, we are friends. Nothing more", she said convinced.

"Yes, I thought so too, but Kate is persuaded there _was_ something more?", Nikki tried.

 _Ouch, if she doesn't throw me out now, then I kept the door open for a chat._

Suddenly Maxine began to laugh.

Nikki looked surprised.

 _Huh? Did I say something weird?_

"Oh that? Some time ago, we both had discovered something shocking and we had comforted each other. The next morning we knew it was wrong. Unfortunately the evil was done."

 _Ok, the ice is broken, I can try the next step._

"Yes, but Kate told also me that you told her to leave Mike because his life was the sea."

Maxine's mood changed immediately.

"Hmm, that!", she said annoyed. "It looks that I'm going to be doomed to be pursued by that case. Yes, years ago, I had a fight with Mike about that. Agree, I was wrong. I told her that because I wanted to protect him."

"Protect?", Nikki asked frowning.

"I know Mike for much longer than you. He's a perfect captain, but once he's on shore, he's as vulnerable as can be. I knew they were hiding a relation, but as long as they kept it off the ship, you can't forbid it. Kate was a very ambitious woman with very good results at the ADFA and with a very high aim. A clever woman, but she didn't give her away yet. You know what I mean?" Nikki's frown was an answer for her. "You didn't know anything from her. She was that private person and that frightened me that she could use Mike to get the top of the career ladder. I thought she would dump him once she achieved her goal."

Nikki shook her head, "No, I know her and that's not true."

Maxine sighed and shrugged. "I realised that too after a fierce quarrel with Mike. There's another Kate behind these commander stripes. I apologised but the evil had been done." She paused a bit and Nikki processed her answer. "But now you are saying she's single again?", she asked for confirmation what she just had heard.

"Exactly. I've already tried to bring them together, but they refuse bluntly because they have fear to be rejected."

Maxine nodded and took another sip, "Right, and which role do I have to play in this case?"

 _Ok, gained!_

"If you could tell him that he must attend an official dinner with you and some other high-ranking officers then he will go. I'll arrange for Kate to be there too, but without him knowing, otherwise he'll refuse right away."

"Hmm, good, I can arrange that. But I hope I shall not have to attend?", Maxine asked lifting one eyebrow

"No, just for the booking. Tell him at the last minute you were blocked with something."

She emptied her glass, "Ok, I'll fix something. I think I owe that to them. When?"

"Ok, thanks a lot Ma'am. Kate will be back within three weeks. I'll get her to Cairns and without her knowing she will have a private dinner with Mike. I'll tell her that we, Dylan and I will accompany her."

Maxine stood up showing her that the meeting was over. "I'll do the necessary and I wish you good luck with your matchmaking", she said.

"Thank you ma'am".

When Nikki left the building, she could not hide a 'Y _es!_ '.

 _To be continued_


	12. Chapter 12 Prepare a blind date

**Chapter 12 Prepare a blind date**

 **Cairns airport. Three weeks later.**

Nikki and Dylan stood in the noisy arrival hall of the airport. It was crowded as always. They were looking at the screen of the arrivals.

"The flight from Sydney has landed. They're taxiing now", Dylan said.

"Yeah, and then waiting for the luggage", Nikki added.

"If she has a hand-luggage, then she's out within a minute", he said.

"Are you really sure that Kate is coming?", he asked.

"Absolutely! She told me and she's always keeping her word", she replied.

"But, I'm feeling quite nervous. It's just like I'm betraying her", Nikki said.

"Did you tell her everything?", he asked.

"Well uh…not exactly. I've told her something, but not everything", she said ill-at-ease.

"And what have you told her?"

"Like we've said. We've invited her for a weekend and that we are going to have a dinner to catch up and she has to bring her best clothes."

"Hmm, nothing about Mike?".

"No".

"Okay! I'm looking forward to see her reaction. They have their dinner tonight, so, you'll have to hurry to tell her", he said.

Nikki gave him a slap on his arm, "Oh great! That encourages me tremendously!. Thank you very much Mullholland!"

At the same moment the sliding doors opened and the first passengers came out. They watched carefully all the people.

"There she is!" He said while poking her.

Kate padded through the door, pulling a hand-luggage and carrying a backpack. She was wearing a T-shirt, a cotton trousers, flat shoes and her hair was tied in a loose pony tail. While she got out she looked at the people who were waiting to see familiar faces.

"Hey Kate! Here!" Nikki yelled.

Kate recognised the voice, looked in their direction and walked to them.

"Hi, you both! Thanks for you offer to spend a weekend here!", she answered in a good mood.

"With pleasure." Nikki replied as they shook hands.

Dylan took over her luggage as they walked to their car.

"How was your flight?", Nikki asked.

"Pfft, It was hot in Sydney and the atmosphere was sticky in the plane", she said.

"No worries. Enjoy a good shower when we'll be at home", Nikki replied.

"How is it here?", Kate asked.

"Oh, business as usual. Patrols, FFV, refugees, unexperienced tourists who were lost in the middle of the sea", Nikki answered.

In the car on the way to their house, they continued their conversation.

"Well, I'm really looking forward to attend our dinner tonight! It has been an eternity that I have not had an activity like that!", Kate said joyously.

"I do believe that! And I'm happy to hear that!", Nikki said looking over her shoulder to Kate who sat at the back.

She moved a little so that she could see Kate more easily.

"You know, Mike and Maxine are going to have an informal dinner with the commander of HMAS Kuttabul from Sydney tonight. He's going to arrive today as well", Nikki told her.

Kate scowled. "That's a nice piece of news, but what does this has to do with me?", she asked.

"Well, Maxine will decline due to headache and the commander cannot come but he will send his second in line", Nikki deadpanned.

Kate frowned even more, "But, how do you know that?"

"Moreover, his second in line has just arrived as well!"

"Yeah, so what?", she asked slightly irritated.

"Come on Kate, you're a clever girl, even cleverer than me, but sometimes I have to make a drawing.

 _You_ are the second in line. Just you two."

"Ah, come on! I knew it. You've became insane! Really!"

"Yep, I did it that way, otherwise you would have found an excuse to decline", Nikki said.

"I'm not going!", Kate said decisively.

"Come on Kate, you're not going to start! You did not make this trip just to say no? Listen, last time on board I've promised you that I was going to do efforts to bring you both back together. So, I've kept my word. Thus, keep yours as well, just to do me a favour, ok?"

"Hmm"

'It's not that bad you know. Just food, a dinner, a chat. See what it gives", Nikki insisted.

"Ok,okokok, I'll go, but he will go away. Years ago I asked him to go away."

"Yeah, he did it, but just only because you begged him to go away, but he didn't believe that it came from your heart."

"You say so." Kate looked gloomily at her hands as she recalled the dramatic moment when she collapsed at the ground behind the door crying like a little schoolgirl when she heard him leave.

"Yes indeed. You will see."

A few hours later in Nikki's and Dylan's house,Kate came out of the guest room and entered the living room. "I'm ready!", she announced and she showed herself to them by making a turn of 360 degrees.

"So, this is it. What do you think?" Kate asked with a smile.

She had put a little make-up and let her hair down. She wore a light green blouse on a light olive green skirt.

"Hmm, nice", Nikki answered with doubtful glance.

"Huh? Just only nice? Can't I get something more? This is the newest combination I've got," Kate said slightly upset.

Nikki grimaced, "Of course it's nice. But it's too virtuous. It's the commander who's going out with the crew and who wants to keep her dignity. Come on Kate, you have to win Mike for you. Don't you have something more sexy with you?"

"Uh, no. Casual things like a cotton dress, tops, T-shirts. Like I said, I've bought this during my last shore leave."

Nikki shook her head, "Kate, Kate, when I thought that everything was ok, now this again."

Kate looked all of a sudden sad to Nikki realising she was going to screw up it again.

"Wait, I have a cocktail dress that could fit you perfectly. I don't wear it anymore because it is too tight for me. It will work because Dylan was crazy about it.", Nikki said all of a sudden and she left the living room. Kate looked questioningly at Dylan who simply shrugged with a I-don't-know glance.

A minute later, Nikki was back and held a wonderful fuchsia colour dress that closed in the neck with a deep cleavage in the back. "This will do !"

"Hmm, not too long." Kate said doubtfully.

"Exactly ! Now put it on !", she ordered.

Kate took the dress and padded back to the guest room to switch. A minute later she came out again.

"It has a rather deep cleavage in the back?", Kate mentioned surprised.

"Exactly." Nikki looked at Kate's feet and sighed. "I think that I'm getting hopeless of you. These white sandals doesn't match! The heel of these is only medium!", she said disapprovingly.

"What else can I do? The green pumps that match with the skirt are even worse." Kate said irritated.

Nikki walked to the bedroom without saying a word and a few seconds later she was back holding her own fuchsia colour heeled pumps.

"Use mine ! And hurry up, otherwise you'll be late."

"Ok, thanks", Kate said by slipping inside. "But they are too large!" , she noticed .

"Don't you remember anymore that I have a bigger size? You had discovered that while we were together on board when you had borrowed my white shoes with laces", Nikki said.

"Yeah, but…"

Nikki started to lose her patience, "Kate, it's not that bad. It's just for sitting at a table, Ok? Come on now! We take you there."

"Ok, ok, ok", Kate said grabbing her handbag and she padded outside taking care not to stumble with the borrowed shoes.

They started to drive to the restaurant. Dylan was driving, Nikki sat next to him and Kate at the back. All of a sudden she chuckled which made them look over their shoulders.

"What?", Nikki asked.

"Oh, this borrowed outfit remembers me to a school party", Kate said.

"Ah!? Tell us", Nikki encouraged her.

"Well, I had borrowed a dress from a girl next door and I had nicked a pair of mum's shoes, but they were far too large and I stuffed them with tissues. Initially it worked, but not for long. Unfortunately the others had noticed that too and I was pestered again that I was running around in my mother's shoes. That was true in fact, but my evening was screwed up", Kate told gloomily.

Dylan and Nikki looked sombrely at each other and Nikki turned to Kate, "Kate, can't you never tell something joyous or cheerful about your past?!", she asked irritated.

"I can't help it if it's not!", she snapped back.

"Girls, girls, shhht. The intention is to spend a good evening. It's not the moment to argue. But, Kate, was there really nothing pleasant in your childhood?", he asked.

"Hmm, yeah. We had a dog. Such a light brown Labrador. It was a silly, cute and lovely animal", Kate told with slight smile.

"Well, then. You see", he replied.

"He died. He ran in front of the milkman's van and was crushed. And mother didn't want anymore another one", Kate deadpanned.

Dylan's and Nikki's shoulders slumped and they didn't say anything further.

They stopped at the restaurant "C'est Bon" at the Lake street near the Chinaman Creek.

"It's here?", she asked, "That's one of the best!"

Dylan turned to look at Kate. "Yep, the best for you both. So Kate, good luck!", he said.

"I'm a bit nervous. What if he wants to have nothing more to do with me ?", she said worried.

"For God's sake Kate! I'm getting desperate with you. He's still waiting for you. How can I ram that into your brain? Go inside, enjoy your evening and win him for you! And that's an order!", Nikki said rolling her eyes.

Kate dropped her eyes, "Hmm."

Nikki rummaged in her handbag, "Here, the spare keys of the house. So, it doesn't matter when you come back home", she said while handing over the keys.

Kate took a deep breath and returned a smile, "Ok, thanks a lot you both." She said and got out the car and walked to the restaurant.

Nikki and Dylan watched Kate enter the restaurant and Nikki put her head on his shoulder. "Pfft, finally. At times I thought it would never work."

"She can be very stubborn", he said dryly.

"Honestly, she's older than me, but from time to time I've got the impression that I'm her older sister", she mused.

She looked at the door of the restaurant, half expecting to see Kate back, "This was harder than I had expected. Pffft"

"Trust. It will work." He answered caressing her cheek.

Nikki sat upright again.

"With these two, you'll never know. I'll only believe it when they'll move in together.

Come on, let's go home, I'm starving too and I have to prepare some food as well. But first I need a drink, a big one. I think we've deserved it!"

 _To be continued_


	13. Chapter 13 The date

**Chapter 13 The date**

Mike had entered the restaurant 15 minutes earlier because as commander of the base he was the host and he could not afford to be too late. The waiter had taken him to his table and he had sat down, with his back to the door.

The waiter had brought him already a beer.

He took a sip and he started to think about the coming dinner.

 _A visit of Captain Henderson of the HMAS Kuttabul. Strange that it has passed via Maxine. Normally I had to know that first. Henderson, Richard Henderson, he's a bit older than I am. We served on the same frigate, he as the artillery officer and I as the navigator. Just wondering what the purpose of his visit is. Why would he make a trip from Sydney to Cairns? Is it that important, but not official that it had to be discussed here? Maxine will bring him to here so that we can have a dinner all three of us._

 _It must be important because the "C'est Bon" is one of the better restaurants in town._

Mike's mobile started to buzz.

 _Uh? My mobile?_

He grabbed it out from his pocket and read the text.

 **Sorry Mike, have a splitting headache. I decline for the dinner. And Capt Henderson cannot come. He sends his second in line. Max.**

Mike made a face.

 _Oh just great! I even don't know the name of his second in line. And Max at home. Promising! And I bet my entire salary that that man probably doesn't know why he is here._

 _If there's something I hate, then it's this kind of semi-informal dinners with people you don't know and what they do here only expect to eat! Damnit!_

Mike took irritated a gulp from his glass to comfort himself. He put it down, sighed and stared blankly at a certain point of the restaurant.

Kate was waiting at the restaurant's reception desk for a waiter to welcome her.

"The table of Captain Flynn please", she asked him.

"Yes ma'am, that's the table where the gentleman sits with his back to us, with the slight grey hair", he said pointing slightly into the restaurant.

"Thank you", she said and started walking to the table.

Her heart was beating twice as fast when she walked to that table, her eyes fixed on Mike's figure.

 _Mike. He's there. I can't believe it. Kate, girl control your nerves, your breathing! Don't stammer!_

All of a sudden Kate's pump slipped and the heel made a scraping sound on the floor.

 _Oh Nikki! Why can't you have the same shoe size as mine?_

Mike looked up, his attention attracted by the sound but he didn't know where it came from and that's when he saw passing a fair-haired woman. She had her hair up and she was wearing a short fuchsia dress with a huge cut out in the back on high heeled pumps of the same colour.

He swallowed while he stared at the woman.

 _That's worth!_

Then the woman stopped at his table and turned.

Mike gasped for air.

"Kate !" , he whispered.

"Hello Mike", she said a bit unsure.

"May I sit down?"

"Uh, yes! Yes. Of course, _yes_! Please take a seat!", he stammered when he got quickly upright, almost knocking over his chair.

He waited until she sat down and then he sat down as well.

"I … I'm here for a dinner with the Kit…, Kutta… uh the Commander of HMAS Kuttabul, but he couldn't come and should send his line … uh second in line. Are … are you?", Mike stammered?

Kate smiled at him.

 _He's still so cute!_

"No, I'm just Kate", she said dryly.

"Ah, yeah, … yeah of course", Mike stuttered, still completely upset.

"And the Kuttabul …?"

"Nope! Say thank you to Maxine and Nikki. They've fixed this", she said laconically.

"Ah! Ok, but just tell me, I'm not dreaming, will you?", he asked staring at her.

"No Mike, you're not dreaming, I'm real." She said with a smile while she put her hand on his.

"Kate !" He said with a deep breath and a big smile developed on his face. He turned his hand so that he could hold hers too.

She looked at him trying to keep her heartbeat under control.

"Kate…, you didn't change. You are still the same. Just gorgeous", he said.

 _I notice a few wrinkles in your face, but that are maybe the arduousness of the command._

"Mike, you didn't change much either, apart from a bit more silver in your hair", she replied

Mike shrugged.

"An aperitif? As you remember the cocktails are good here", he proposed with a smile.

"Yes please and I still remember them", she said a little strayed when she thought at the few occasions that they had a splendid evening so many years ago.

Meanwhile the waiter brought them the menu.

"Right! Another sherry and a pacific sunset please." Mike asked, remembering that that was her favourite cocktail.

"Well Kate, you can't believe how happy I am to see you again" he said with a smile.

"Me too Mike, me too", she replied also with a sigh.

To keep this little moment of happiness, they began to look at the menu.

"Have you already made up your mind?", he asked after a few minutes.

"Yeah, I did. Veal sweetbreads and then beef cheek in red wine", she said.

"Hmm, the coarse duck terrine and then the beef eye fillet", Mike said.

"Hopefully they don't expect from me that I say that in French", he added.

Kate laughed, "Oh, Mike, you haven't changed. French is still not your favourite, isn't it?"

"Ah, uh… not any language in fact. I'm more a math type, I think. And you?", he asked.

"Both! But I feel forlorn with screwdrivers and that kind of things. I'm trying to fix things with tape, but that's not always successful", she replied with a chuckle and Mike laughed also.

"Sir, madam. Have you made your choice?", the waiter asked who popped up all of a sudden next to their table.

"Oh yes, we did. Kate?", Mike invited her to answer first.

The waiter left and both looked at each other and they felt that the first ice was broken.

But now the rest…

"Mike, I … I really don't know where to start", she said while looking at the table fiddling with her napkin.

"Just shoot", Mike said when he took her hand to comfort her."

All of a sudden Kate looked at him in the eye. "Mike, I'm sorry for everything. I made a huge mess of us", she threw out. "I'm wrestling with this for years and I couldn't get away with it. I'm sorry for the moments when I've hurt you. I … I can't say it better", she said, the last sentence was nothing more than a whisper and she looked down at the table again, trying not to blush, but in vain.

He grabbed her hand. "It's ok Kate, it's the past now. We can only look forward now", he said comforting her, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand.

"Yeah, it is", Kate answered softly, still looking at the table.

Then she lifted her face suddenly and looked at him, "But how are you now?"

Mike was a little surprised by her direct question, "Me? Quiet. Boring in fact", he said shrugging.

"Did you start a relation in the meantime?", Kate tried to ask for it in a completely normal way, but Mike noticed a certain fear in her voice.

 _It must have cost her a lot of efforts to ask that._

"No, Kate, no, I'm still single. There was only one", he said when he looked at her straight in the eyes trying to say more than words.

"I see, and uh, … Maxine?" She asked prudently, but Mike still noticed the fear in her voice to hear a wrong answer.

"No, Max and I are just friends. We have no relation. I'm just wondering where that stupid rumour comes from. Nikki asked me that a while ago also. "

"I thought six year ago that… Oh, I'm sorry Mike, I'm acting like a teenager!", Kate blurted out looking at him desperately.

Mike smiled.

 _It's still deep in her._

"That, that was a mistake. Afterwards we both knew. I had quite some bad news to process. All of a sudden, without reason, you've broken up with me and then that news about Ryan. Maxine invited me to dinner to discuss the case of Ryan and one thing led to another. But when we woke up, we both realised that this wasn't our future."

He looked at her and he noticed she tried to remain neutral, but the glance in her eyes told him that a certain relief had come over her.

They got their starters.

"And you?", he asked, his cutlery lingering above his dish.

 _Nikki told me something …_

Kate had just put a piece in her mouth and put down her cutlery.

"Since a few weeks I'm officially divorced. It was a mistake from the beginning. I broke up because you wanted to give up your career for me and I didn't want that", Kate said.

"Dutchy told me."

"So I started with Jim to make something of my life, but deep in my heart I knew it was you. But when I heard you went your way too with Maxine, I thought that I've lost you for ever". Kate's intention to remain strong was vain. Her voice became huskily.

"I was confused and after the explosion Jim asked me to marry him. There was no alternative anymore." She swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Kate, I saw it happen under my nose, but I could not do anything. I wanted to make a last attempt to convince you by going to your house, but I didn't get a chance", he said hurtfully, thinking at that painful moment and the awful headache the next morning due to a more than heavy pub visit that night.

"I … I know. I thought I've lost you and I had promised to marry Jim. I screwed it up." Tears were running down her cheeks now. "I could never give my heart completely to Jim and he must have felt that. At the end he started with someone else and I was still more alone because he was on so called missions. I sensed there was something, but I had no proof, until the evening that Nikki and Dylan saw him with another woman. They spilled the beans for me. It was about time, because I was going the wrong way and I was busy to screw up my command as well."

Kate paused to calm down. She grabbed a handkerchief from her handbag to dry her eyes and to blow her nose.

"They convinced me. I asked for a divorce and he agreed. And that's where I am now. I'm single again", she said with a slight smile.

He took her hand and caressed it.

"That's good, you can look ahead again."

She nodded.

They said nothing more and ate their starter.

When finished they took a bit of wine, not really knowing how to continue. Both wanted to avoid saying things that could jeopardize the development of an emerging relationship.

"Do you still live in the same house?", she asked when the waiter took away the empty plates.

Mike was relieved by that question, one that he could answer without troubles.

"Yeah, the same one, and the interior remained exactly the same like you remember it", he said with a chuckle.

Kate didn't answer on that, but smiled mysteriously.

 _Mike, do you really want to say…_

"And where do you live now?", he asked using the low hanging fruit opportunity.

Kate shrugged, "Nowhere in fact. The house was Jim's, or better said, it was from his grandmother. I've got now a very small flat from the Navy, but I don't know what gives me more comfort, the flat or my cabin at the frigate. Moreover the majority of my things are still packed in boxes. I have to sort that out asap because I don't like this way of living at all."

"Hmm."

 _Maybe?_

"Have you heard something from Swain?", she asked.

Meanwhile they brought their main course.

"Enjoy your meal!", Mike said before they started.

"Swain?", Kate asked again.

"Yes, Swain. Well, after the explosion he started to realise that there was not only the Navy. Ahum, he was not the only one."

Kate threw him a glance.

"He asked for a shore posting and he's now in the security team of the base seeing his experience with the police."

They continued chatting about the crew members they had known and the time passed quicker than expected. Both did their upmost best to avoid the main question and at the end of the dinner they became quieter, trying to keep this moment the longest possible time.

Coffee has been served and they were both busy with their cup in silence.

 _She's single again. She told you she could not give her heart to Jim. It's still you, but that's what you were hoping, because she didn't say it literally. When I spoke about my house she just only smiled. How to think about this? Jesus, I don't even know how long she's here now! How would she react if I ask her if we could move on together?_

 _He said 'there was only one'. He wanted to make a last attempt to convince me. I'm getting the impression he loves me. But he didn't say it. If I made the first move, what would he do? I can't imagine what I would do if he says no._

The waiter brought the bill.

"Mike, can we share the bill?", said Kate, taking her purse in her handbag

"No, no, the pleasure is mine", he replied as he grabbed his wallet to take out out his credit card.

Afterwards they stood up and looked at each other a bit uncomfortable.

"Thank you Mike, it was a pleasant dinner", she said with a smile but her eyes asked for much more.

"It was a pleasure Kate, do you fancy a walk? The weather and the temperature is still nice", Mike asked hoping on a positive answer.

"Yes, please!", Kate replied with a broad smile.

Outside they began to walk side by side towards the boulevard along the coast.

"Nice dress, Kate, you look gorgeous ", Mike pushed off when they reached it.

"Thank you!"

"New?"

"Uh … yes indeed, … recently."

 _Jesus, I can't say that I borrowed it._

Mike noticed how Kate was walking slowly and with difficulty.

 _Did she broke a leg or so some time ago?_

"It was a long dinner and it looks like your legs are still a bit stiff after sitting so long at the table, you're walking with difficulty?", he asked gently.

"Yeah indeed, I'm a bit stiff. A long time at the table", she replied with a faint smile.

 _No, it's because I'm swimming in these bloody shoes. I can't keep them on my feet._

Mike nodded, "I see. Where do you stay and for how long?"

"Actually I'm staying with Nikki and Dylan and I'm here for a week."

' _Actually' what do I say now? Within a second he thinks you want to move. Yes I will, but I can't say it !_

All of sudden he stopped walking, turned towards her and wrapped her in his arms. Her eyes widened in surprise because she didn't expect it at all.

"Kate, you have no idea how much I missed you !", he confessed.

"Me too Mike, me too. I never thought that this moment would come again", she whispered.

Then they kissed. After the kiss he wanted to take her by he waist and let slide his hand from her shoulder all along her bare back.

"Hmm, amazing dress you have."

Kate giggled and slid her arm around his waist too.

"Kate, … uh … what would you think of restarting our relationship?"

Now, it was Kate's turn to sense the fear for a wrong answer in his voice.

"Mike! I was worried you would never ask for it. Yes, I will." She raised her head so that he could bend over and kiss her again.

"Kate, we have wasted enough time and I don't want to wait any longer, so do you want to move with me ? Later we will see what we can do", he asked prudently.

"Yes, with pleasure. When?", she asked enthusiastically .

"Whenever you can. Tomorrow?"

"Great ! I'm just wondering if Nikki and Dylan would mind if I leave", Kate said concerned.

"No, I don't think so. On the contrary I think they will be happy we're back together." He gave her a slight squeeze in her waist which provoked a giggle.

"I'm going to take a few days off while you're here. Max is a big girl, she can manage alone", he said with a smile.

"Come, let's go back. Tomorrow is a busy day for us", Kate answered pulling on his hand.

"Yeah, indeed. Shall I pick you up?", he asked turning back to go where his car stood.

"Yes please. 10:30 am?"

"Ok", he answered and grabbed her hand.

Both walked more resolved then when they arrived. They had to think about their future and organise it!

 _To be continued_


	14. Chapter 14 Coming home

**Chapter 14 Coming home**

Mike stopped his car in front of the Mullhollands' house and switched off the ignition. He looked at Kate.

"So, that was an amazing evening", he said with a cute smile to her.

"Yeah, magic. Thank you. See you tomorrow?", she asked. Next, she bent towards him and kissed him.

Kate got out and padded to the door. She turned round, waved him goodbye and entered. Mike waited until she was inside and drove to his place whistling.

Kate noticed that Nikki and Dylan were already to bed and she went smoothly to the guest room. There she dropped her handbag on a chair, got rid of her pumps, pulled off the dress and hung it carefully on a hanger. She put on her pyjama and she plopped backwards on the bed, her arms spread and looked at the ceiling.

She sighed with a smile.

"Tomorrow I can finally start my life. Finally … the man … I wanted. I can't … wait until … tomorrow. Finally…", she mumbled and fell asleep.

A few miles further there was a man for who the night seemed too short.

Mike closed the door behind him, leaned against the wall and closed his eyes for a moment.

"My God, … this … is … a … miracle! I can't believe it. My Katie is back! Tomorrow at 10:30 am."

"Mate, look at your house! Make it welcoming for her. Move man. Move!", he said to himself.

He looked frowning into the corridor.

"There's nothing left hanging around?"

"Nope."

Then he padded to the living room and glanced around.

"No clutter? Hmm not quite perfect, it's even far from that", he grumbled.

He grabbed his books that lay around on the table and on the cupboards and put them back in the library. Then he collected several old magazines and newspapers and stuffed them in the dustbin. He threw an angry look at his table that was full with papers on which he was working. With a groan he started to collect them in nice piles, per category.

Work completed, he looked proudly at the tidy table and his glance slid over the items on his dresser checking irregularities. Frames with photo's of ships and crew members. One third were photo's of Kate with crew members or Kate alone. He passed his finger over the surface and groaned again when he saw clearly where it had gone. Next, he passed his finger over the tiles of floor.

"Damn, I have to clean that. If she sees that, then she kills me!"

"A rag, a bucket, water!"

He hurried to the broom cabinet to take those items. He cleared his dresser and cleaned up the dust.

"Right ! Damage report from the kitchen" he said and went to there.

Here he grumbled when he saw the dishes of the morning and the days before in the sink. He poured hot water in it, grabbed some washing-up liquid and did the dishes.

"Supply check." He pulled open the fridge and looked at the deep frozen pizza's and prepared courses. "Hmm, I'll certainly have a serious remark on this. Kate is keen on fresh food. I think that a visit to the local supermarket will be our first trip together", he concluded with a grin.

He looked at the compartment for bottles in the fridge and grimaced.

"Bunkers? Empty. Hmm." He closed the door and padded to his cellar and returned with a couple of bottles Sauvignon Blanc, her favourite.

"Ok, now the bedroom and bathroom."

He walked to the storage room and took out a new pair of towels and put them ready in the bathroom. Then he took a new set of sheets to change the bed the next morning.

"Damn the second pillow? Where did I left it?", he grumbled.

He went back to the storage room and started looking until he found the bag with the second pillow.

"Ok, now, make some room." He opened his wardrobe and moved hangers with trousers and jackets and some shirts to another compartment to have a half empty wardrobe for her.

"Right, this will do. Let's get some sleep before it's daylight", he mumbled.

 **The next day.**

Nikki poked Dylan in bed.

"Hmm?", he mumbled.

"I think we're staying in a B&B. I smell fresh coffee. Let's get up!", she noticed enthousiastically.

Somewhat later when the couple entered the living room they saw that Kate had prepared breakfast. She had put on her cotton dress without sleeves and seemed to be full of energy.

"Hey, good morning. I couldn't sleep anymore and I thought to spoil you with a breakfast", she said lively.

"Kate, that's a real surprise! Normally I should have done it for my guest", Nikki replied.

"Seeing you, I guess you had a good evening yesterday?", Dylan remarked as they sat down.

"Oh, yeah, great. After diner, we took a walk on the boulevard along the sea", she said while pouring coffee in their cups.

"Did the outfit work?", Nikki asked curiously while grabbing a slice of bread to make a toast.

"Splendid", she said with a broad smile.

 _But you could have given me a tube of glue as well to keep my shoes on!_

"He couldn't take his eyes off me and now we're back together", Kate continued with a twinkle in her eyes."

"Oh Kate, that's just great !" Nikki exclaimed.

"Uh, would you mind that I move to Mike's house this morning?", Kate asked prudently?

"Oh no, not at all. The plan was that you move on with him instead of staying with us", Dylan answered.

"When do you move?" Nikki asked with a mouthful toast.

"He picks me up at 10:30 am !"

On the dot of 10:30 am, Mike rang the bell. A nervous Kate hurried to the door to open it.

 _Katherine, behave yourself! You're just a teenager with your first boyfriend! Sorry, I can't help it!_

Mike smiled broadly at her, "Hey honey, it's not a white horse but one on rubber tires."

"Never mind dear, never mind, everything is good to me. Even the garbage truck, on condition that you are behind the steering wheel!" , and they gave each other a kiss.

"Hey boss, come in", Nikki said. The couple had followed Kate to welcome Mike.

"It's Mike Nikki, we're not at the base now", Mike answered as he entered.

Kate stroke her hair and looked at her two friends. "I don't know how to thank you. You've put my life back on track and gave it a future."

"No problem, that's what friends are for", Dylan answered.

"Ok, but I hope to return your favour."

"Never mind, it was a pleasure", Nikki answered.

They left and got into the car. While Mike was driving, Kate watched him. "You look tired. Did you sleep well?", she asked with a slight frown.

"Yes, of course", he said convincingly.

She scowled with a mysterious smile, "Hmm, let me guess, you've cleaned your house last night, isn't it?"

He shook innocently his head, "Uh, no, no, it was ok."

Kate poked him on his upper arm, "Mike Flynn, you are after all these years still a very bad liar. I can just look through you", she said with a radiant smile.

"Uh…"

At his place he put her luggage on the pavement and opened the door. He stepped aside to let her inside and then he followed her.

"Welcome home Katie", he said softly.

Once inside, she turned and wrapped her arms around his neck. She kissed him tenderly at first, then more passionately until they gasped for air.

"Mike, you make me happy", she whispered.

"Me too honey, me too."

Kate walked further to the living room and made a tour looking at all the objects. Mike stood in the middle and looked at her.

"And?", he asked curiously.

"It's … it's just like I've not been away", she said softly and Kate walked back to him to tap on his chest.

"You must have worked like mad last night. It's so clean here."

He chuckled, "Come on, I have some place for you". He took her by the hand, led her to the bedroom and opened the wardrobe, showing her the empty space.

"Thanks Mike. It's just that I have very little with me now."

"Make yourself at home, I'll prepare a brew."

Mike left the bedroom and Kate looked around. The two pillows, fresh sheets and a big photo of her, still the same one since five years ago.

 _How could I've been so stupid? How could I've been so blind? He was still waiting for me._

An instant later, he padded back inside with two mugs of steaming coffee.

"Here honey your brew." He handed her the mug.

He looked at the few items in the wardrobe, "Hmm, you have lots of place left."

Kate chuckled, "Not for long darling, wait until all my boxes arrive."

He lifted his eyebrows, "I don't see your fuchsia dress?"

"Ahum, I must confess that Nikki has shaken me in it. For last night I had this, but Nikki suggested me to wear something else", she said showing him the green skirt.

"Also nice, but I remember that you've something black as well?"

She sighed. "Yeah, that's right, I still have it and it's somewhere in my boxes. The fact is that I've never worn it since our fabulous night after your promotion. It brought too much memories to the surface, but now I can wear it, or … if you don't like it anymore...", she ended teasingly.

"Oh you silly!"

Somewhat later, at lunch time, Kate walked to the kitchen and yelled,

"Mike, I'll see what you have in your fridge for lunch."

 _Oh shit, I must prevent that she …_

Mike stood upright from his chair and wanted to go to the kitchen, but…

"MIKE!", she shouted back, "Does that really mean you have only pizzas and other prepared junk food in your fridge? "

"Uh, yes…"

 _Damn!_

"Well, this afternoon we'll go to the fresh market and we'll buy some fresh vegetables."

She noticed his smile and frowned. "But, why are you laughing at me?"

"Well, last night, when I checked the fridge, I was persuaded that you were going to say that", he answered with a grin.

That evening, after dinner, they sat comfortably next to each other on the couch looking at the bay.

"Mike?", Kate pushed off, looking at him.

"Hmm?"

"In the supermarket I noticed you were always smiling at me. Why?"

"Oh, nothing special. I was just enjoying seeing you busy with the day-to-day things. The way you inspect fruit, how you choose vegetables, how you ordered the meat. It was just … magic", he answered while giving her a hug.

"Oh?" She replied, and she turned to him to give him a kiss.

"Dear, I have a difficult question for you."

"Nothing is difficult for me coming from you."

"Remember, six years ago on that beach I asked you about kids. What do you think about it now?", she asked him softly.

"Yes, I remember." He paused and was back at the beach six years ago. "Yes, I would like to have a child from you. It had become an illusion, but now, it seems that it would become a reality. But, only if our age still allows it."

"Oh Mike, You're so cute to question you for us two, but in fact the question concerns only me. Recently I had a chat with the Obgyn and he told me I'm still fit for a child."

"I see. Do you take a protection?"

"No, I stopped with it years ago. The reason was that Jim couldn't have children. So there was no reason to swallow these stupid pills."

 _Hmm, she didn't change. She still hates pills and hospitals._

Mike began to make eight with his finger on her upper arm. Kate liked the movement and curled up against him.

"Mike? I haven't checked if your bed is still the same as five years ago", she said looking at him.

"Well, what are you waiting for?", he stood up and took her by the hand and led her to the bedroom. There she turned and wrapped her arms around his neck and started kissing him. Mike lowered the zip of her dress. He opened the clip of her bra and caressed her back from the nape of her neck to her buttocks. Kate stepped out of her dress and began to unbutton his shirt. Both plopped down on the bed and lost the notion of time in a passionate night.

 _To be continued._


	15. Chapter 15 Proposal

**Chapter 15. Proposal**

The night before Mike had programmed the alarm of his mobile in the soft awakening mode because he wanted to be awake first.

The alarm went off as planned and he woke up before Kate. He turned towards her and leaned on one elbow to have a look at her.

She lay on her belly, her arms around the pillow and her gold blond hair spread like a fan over her naked back.

 _Amazing, you look now so much younger than the day before when we met at the restaurant._

 _You're beautiful._

Mike slipped out of the bed and padded to his desk in his office. He sat down on the chair and put his hand on the handle of one of the drawers. He paused.

 _17 October. Today it is a special day. Each year I think about it, but now it's different. Is it just a coincidence or is it the destiny? Just now? One day after we are together again._

 _Kate's birthday!_

He opened the slide drawer and slid the hand at the very back of the slide to catch a small blue box in the shape of a cube. He looked at it for a moment and opened it. He smiled when he saw the golden ring with the pink ruby and the two diamonds on either side. He closed the box again and leaned back in his chair.

 _It belonged to my grandmother and she gave it to me by telling, 'Michael, keep it and make your fiancée happy when you'll offer her'._

 _As far as I can remember, the ring was from 1930._

 _I wanted to give it her at Tahiti as an engagement present, but she broke up before we got there. I've never thought that I could finally give it to her._

He padded back to the bedroom and sat down next to her on the bed. Meanwhile she had turned on her back.

"Where were you?", she mumbled.

"Happy birthday, honey!", he said softly and gave her a kiss on her forehead.

"Uh?", she got awake.

"Yeah, it's your birthday today."

"Is it? Oh my gosh! Totally forgotten", she murmured while rubbing her eyes.

"Not me", he said with a grin.

"That's so kind of you."

"Here, I've a small present for you", and he held the small box in front of her.

"Uh?" She sat upright. "Do you really mean it?" , she answered surprised.

"Yes, otherwise I would not be sitting here", he deadpanned.

Kate opened the box and was startled.

"Mike, this is too much! ", she said faintly staring at the ring.

She slid the ring on her finger and looked from it to him, "I really don't know what to say!"

"Honey, I want to tell you that this is more than a birthday present. You know what I mean?"

She nodded and her eyes became glassy.

 _Yes Mike, I know what you mean, but why don't you say it? It's something I would like to hear. But I know you. It's inside you and it can't get out._

"Oh darling, you're so cute. Yes, I know what you mean. Thank you", she replied to save him and she kissed him passionately.

"Well, my grandmother gave it to me to make my girlfriend happy. And tonight we're going to celebrate it with a dinner huh", he announced light-hearted.

"Great! You know it's for sure I didn't celebrate my birthday with someone for four years. Either I was at sea or I was alone at home because Jim was on a mission."

She embraced him and they kissed each other again.

"What's next?", she asked with a twinkle in the eyes.

"Honey, that depends entirely of you. I agree with what you want. Cohabit, marriage. It's up to you. The most important to me is that we are together."

Kate plopped back on her back with her head on the pillow and looked happily at him.

"Yeah, that's true", she said faintly.

He tapped with his finger on her nose, "I'm going to take a shower and then I'll prepare the best breakfast in years for you!", he said as he stood up.

Kate followed him with her eyes until he left the room while fiddling with the ring.

 _I can't believe it! Mike is back and I have a ring. It's weird. Jim gave me also the ring of his grandmother. Is this a habit of Australian men?_

 _Never mind. But why does he leave the decision to me? Mike, why can't you simply say 'Kate, will you marry me?'_

The holiday passed quicker than expected. It was the last day of her shore leave and Mike's last day off. Kate stood at the terrace fiddling with her ring, looking at the sea. Mike walked to her and stood behind her. He placed his hands on her hips and sensed the odour of her hair. He heard a sniff and was surprised to see tears on her cheeks.

"Honey, what's the matter?", he asked concerned.

"I'm a bit sad. We're back together and I'm very happy but in fact we're at the same point as six years ago. We want to be together but we can't. You're here and I'm in Sydney, even worse, I'm leaving for two months. And what's next? A few weeks together and then I leave again. No, this cannot continue. It's not a life", she said huskily.

He stroked her hips, "Honey, we surely find a solution. Really!", he said to comfort her.

Kate turned in his arms and looked at him desperate, "And how? I've been thinking of it like mad during the last days", she said fiercely. "You're stuck here as commander of the base. The only thing you can do is becoming the commander of the base in Sydney, but that's one chance in a thousand. And even then, we'll miss each other for months. I'm playing with the idea to resign, but I can't image what I could do in a civil office. Moreover a vacancy for a Commander in Cairns is not so obvious. If I was a sailor or an NCO then there's always a possibility, but not for a senior officer", she said deeply disheartened.

Mike sighed. "Hmm, you're right. It's difficult. And what if you had again the command of a patrol boat?"

Kate looked at him hurtfully, but didn't answer.

Mike grimaced, "Yeah, I see. Your rank is in fact too high for such a vessel."

"You see?"

He nodded, "All right, I'll talk to some guys at the Brass."

Kate's mood changed a bit, "Something else now. Did you toll your parents we're together?"

"Hmm, no not yet. Forgotten as a matter of fact."

"Mike ! How can you do that?", she exclaimed astonished.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I know. I'm going to do that. But then, I know them, they will say that we must immediately have to visit them. Melbourne, that's not a one day trip and I want to spend our shore leave on our two."

"Make some time for the next leave, otherwise you'll get the rough side of their tongue if you don't tell them", Kate replied poking with her index finger on his chest.

"For sure", he replied nodding.

He paused a bit and asked , "Do you know already what your next mission is going to be?"

"Yeah, escorting and protecting ships against piracy in the Gulf of Aden near Somalia."

"Be careful, will you?"

"Sure, I'm not mad. I have not the intention to lose the lives of my men", she replied scowling.

 **The next day.**

Mike drove Kate to the airport and continued on to Navcom. Farewells have been heartbreaking and he arrived at his office without knowing how he had done. He was too much lost in thoughts.

The first thing he did after opening his briefcase, was to take a photo frame of Kate and he put it on his desk. It was one of those that were on his dresser.

He went out and knocked at he door of Maxine's office.

"Hey Max."

She looked up and gave him a questioning glance, "Hi Mike, and?"

He walked inside and sat down on the chair in front of her desk. They looked at each other.

"I want to thank you Max, that was a great job to organise that so called dinner with Captain Henderson."

"You have to thank Nikki. She convinced me to fix that dinner for you. And how it goes between you two?"

"Just great. We're back together. Definitely now. Just some logistical issues. Me here and she there on the Darwin", he said gesturing with his thumb pointing to the space behind him.

"Well I'm happy for you Mike. Fair winds!", she replied with a smile.

"Thanks Max!", he said as he stood up. He walked out whistling a barely audible song.

She looked at him sadly.

 _Maybe, you'll encounter your white knight as well Max, one day, maybe..._

One week later lots of boxes were delivered by a military truck at Mike's house, those of Kate. An envelope was glued on one of them. He pulled it off, opened it and read the note.

 _Darling,_

 _These boxes contain all my stuff. I'll unpack them when I'm back. But may I ask you to unpack boxes 1 to 3? They contain dresses and other fragile things._

 _I look forward to be with you again._

 _Kisses._

 _Kate_

 _PS. Don't forget to buy fresh fruit and vegetables!_

He smiled when he read the last sentence. Incorrigible!

He hung the dresses on hangers in her part of the wardrobe and stored the other boxes elsewhere so that she can empty them when she come back home.

A few days later Maxine strolled into Mike's office with her hands in her pockets. She didn't say anything and padded to the window where she stared through it sombrely.

"Ah, Max. You don't look very enthusiast?", he said looking up from his paperwork.

"Pfft, how long am I on this chair? Seven years? I'm somewhat tired of it. More and more I want to go back to sea. Day in day out paperwork, reports. No real action anymore. Initially ok, but at the end it's boring", she said gloomily looking outside.

"Hmm, I understand, how do you think I feel?"

Maxine turned towards him now. "Exactly, but now you have someone else to take care of. Don't get me wrong, I'm not jealous. It's just me", she said shrugging as she sat down on the chair in front of his desk.

"Yeah, that's right. What do you think of a frigate?", he said leaning on his elbows and crossing his hands.

"Haha, do you think you're Santa Claus or what? They don't grow on the trees, you know", she said shaking one's head.

"Hmm, maybe. Give me some time", he replied on a conspiracy tone.

"Mike, it's nice from you but I think it will remain a dream," she said as she stood up and left his office.

He stared to the doorway.

 _If I can get them to switch? Max on the Darwin and Kate here? Kate knows to work with patrol boats and has the appropriate rank to perform the job. Maxine was XO on a frigate and has the skills to manage it. What kind of objection could there be to switch the two? I'll talk about it with the Brass. Yes, I'm going to make some phone calls!_

He searched for the phone number of Captain Henderson, the commander of HMAS Kuttabul and dialed it.

"Hey Carl, it's Mike from Cairns, how are you?", he said when he heard the other man's voice.

Mike listened to his friend's answer.

"Listen, there are two commanders that want to switch. One is Commander McGregor on the Darwin and the other one is Commander White of the Operations here in Cairns."

In his mind he saw Carl sitting behind his desk while he listened to him.

"And what's the reason for such a switch?", Henderson asked.

"The reason? White wants more action and McGregor a life closer to her husband."

"McGregor, a husband? Again? I've heard that she has got rid of the previous one", Henderson said.

"You know that?", Mike asked.

Henderdson laughed, "Oh Mike, how long are you already in the Navy? Then, you ought to know that the Navy is a big family and that you can't keep a secret from it. And who's the daredevil?", he asked.

Mike grinned.

"Who her husband is? Ah! Me, soon!"

He smiled again when he heard the chuckle of Carl at the other site, then the other man answered his question.

Mike summarised, "Ok, you've taken a note of it and we are going to announce that to the Admiralty and the commanders have to send their request. Right. See you later."

He hung up satisfied. Then, Mike walked to Maxine's office and poked his head inside. "Max, your wish became an order."

"Ah Mike? And what would that be?", Maxine wondered.

"Henderson from Kuttabul agrees a switch. He says you may have a tug boat", he said trying to be as serious as it is possible to be.

" _What_? What are you trying to do with me? A tug boat!?", Maxine exclaimed irritated.

Mike grinned, "Calm down Max! It's just a joke. This could be the Darwin. But the Admiralty has to agree and you have to send an official request."

Maxine calmed down and leaned back in her chair, "Oh Mike! You're really terrible!"

All of a sudden she frowned, "The Darwin. Hmm, and why the Darwin?", she asked.

"I don't know", he said shrugging with a smirk on his face while leaving her office.

 _To be continued_


	16. Chapter 16 Bad luck

**Chapter 16 Bad luck**

One month had already passed. Mike and Kate exchanged e-mails, they kept in touch via Skype and they looked forward to her next shore leave.

Between one of the bunch of messages that Navcom received every day, there was one that attracted Dylan's attention. He frowned while he read it. He stood up and went to Maxine.

 _I've to e-mail this to Nik within the second!_

He knocked the door and she looked up.

"Ma'am, I'm afraid that we have here a message with a situation."

"With one of our vessels?", she asked.

"Not a problem with one of our vessels, but a possible one for our captain", he said handing over the note. She read it and looked astonished at him.

"Jesus, not now!" , she mumbled.

"Shall I pass the message on to him?", he asked her.

She shook her head. "No, I'd better do that. Thank you Dylan."

Maxine stood up and went to Mike's office. He saw her coming and wondered why she looked so gloomy.

"Max, what's the matter, you look so worried."

She padded inside, "Mike, I'm afraid there's bad news."

She stopped in front of his desk.

Mike frowned. "Tell me."

"There's a message from Canberra. The operation in the Gulf of Aden turned out badly. One of the escort ships has been attacked by the pirates. It's the Darwin…", she said.

Mike gasped for air. "My God ! How bad?"

She shrugged, "The message doesn't say much. A missile has been fired … upon the bridge. Several casualties", she said as she gave him the message.

Maxine saw Mike's face turning pale as he read it.

"Uh, … names?", he stammered.

"No. I'm sorry Mike."

"Yeah, ok, ok. Thank you. Listen, it doesn't mean that Kate is among the victims", he said looking nervously at all the objects on his desk.

Maxine nodded, "Indeed that's true. Don't think about the worst Mike", she said to comfort him.

"Yeah, that's also true. Thank you Max", he said.

Maxine nodded again and left his office ill-at-ease.

 _I'll have to keep an eye on him!_

He looked at her photo on his desk.

 _Is she? Isn't she?_

 _I'm afraid she is. Probably. She's always in the front row when something happens._

 _Damnit!_

 _For God's sake I hope she's not dead._

 _I'll call Henderson. It's one of his ships._

Mike grabbed the phone and he dialed the number of Carl Henderson in Sydney. He tapped nervously with his fingers on the desk until he heard the other man's voice.

"Carl, it's Mike."

"Hi Mike, what can I do for you?"

"We just got the news about the Darwin."

"Yeah, damn bad luck."

"What do you know more. The message here was just an announcement."

"Well, they were caught in an action against pirates who wanted to assault a dredging vessel. They kept quiet and it seemed they wanted to surrender, but when the frigate was close enough one of those assholes aimed at them an RPG7 and fired. The sea was calm and the Darwin was close enough. He really couldn't miss it. The rocket hit the bridge."

"Casualties?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Almost the entire cast of the bridge is wounded or dead. I'm sorry Mike, I know that your wife or girlfriend is its commander."

Mike clenched the receiver so hard that his knuckles became white, "Do you know who?"

"I'm sorry Mike, not yet. This news is brand new. We are pushing too for more info. From the moment I know something I'll call you."

"And the pirates?"

"They fired on them with all they had. They became chopped meat."

"Thanks Carl."

"Pleasure Mike."

He hung up and stroke his hair.

"Jesus! I need a brew", he mumbled.

He stood upright and walked out of his office. Outside he crossed Dylan.

"Boss, you know something about Kate?", he whispered.

"No, not yet. They haven't the names yet."

"Hmm. Hold on boss, she's a winner."

Mike nodded, "Yeah, she is!", he mumbled and continued his way to the mess to get a coffee.

During the day Mike was moving files from one pile to another. He couldn't concentrate.

Each time his phone rang, he grabbed it in the hope to get some more news. Maxine had also poked her head several times inside, but he could only shrug.

At the end of the day there was another phone call.

Eagerly he picked up the phone, "Captain Flynn speaking."

"Ah Mike, it's Carl. I have some news."

"Hi Carl, tell me." Mike was squeezing the phone.

"Kate McGregor is among the survivors, but injured. There were four casualties and five wounded people."

Mike breathed out. He had not realised he was holding his breath.

"Injured? Hmm, how bad?"

"Difficult to say, but I guess it's serious because she's evacuated to an American field hospital, but I can assure you, it was not a life-threatening."

He stroked his hair, "Ok, ok, anything heard about the kind of injury?"

"No, sorry. Normally they patch them up as good as possible and they send them to real surgeons. I guess she will already arrive back home tomorrow or the day after tomorrow."

"Right Carl, so tomorrow we know more."

"Exactly."

Mike hung up and leaned exhausted back in his chair for a couple of minutes. Then, he stood up and brought the news to Dylan and Maxine who both showed signs of a great relief.

The next day, he sank in his office chair and looked gloomily with disgust at the files on his desk. He had barely slept and he rubbed his forehead.

 _Fucking headache! Why does a bottle of whisky cause a headache? Isn't it bad enough, that I have to be stalked with that as well?_

His phone rang and he squeezed his eyes.

 _Oh shit! That hurts!_

He picked up the phone.

"Mike Flynn speaking", he grumbled.

"Mike, it's Carl, I've got some more news about Kate."

All of a sudden He sat upright. "I'm listening." His headache was forgotten.

"She's back here now and she's transferred to the military St George hospital in Sydney."

A shiver ran down his spine.

"There? Ouch, is it so bad? They treat the worse cases there, not?"

"I'm afraid it is. It's a complex foot fracture. She will be lucky if she can keep it. Next to that something touched her head as well. It has been stitched."

Mike swallowed and gasped for air. "Yeah, I'll take a flight right away!"

"Ok. One thing is sure. Active service is over for her. It will be office for the rest of her career. And that brings me to the following. You've said that you have a candidate for the function of commander. Now, there's one missing on the Darwin, you see?"

"Uh, Yeah, indeed, got it." Mike said a bit upset. "I'll mention it to Commander White."

"Right hear from you Mike."

Mike hung up and leaned back in his chair and rubbed his face.

 _No active service. A luck if she can keep her foot. Complex fracture. What a fucking mess!_

He sighed and stood up and he padded to Maxine's office lost in thoughts. He entered without knocking.

"Max?"

"Whoea! Jesus, Mike, can't you warn me? You frightened me", she said. It looked like she had jumped up in the air as in a cartoon.

"Sorry Max, I was thinking. I've just got a message from Sydney. Kate is back, but in the hospital of the university for a complex foot fracture. They say she may be happy if she can keep her foot."

"Oh Gosh!", she mumbled as she put her hand over her mouth.

"Can you take over for me? I'm going to Sydney now. I need to be with her and I'll take her back."

"Yeah, I understand."

"I guess, you'll manage?"

"Yeah, of course!"

He turned to walk out, but he stopped all of a sudden and looked again at her.

"By the way, does your camo suit still fits you?"

"MIKE! What are you insinuating ?", Maxine answered irritated.

"Well, you've just won a captain's chair."

"Oh? Great! On which one?" she replied and her eyes started to twinkle.

"The Darwin."

The joy faded away like melting snow.

"Oh Gosh!" All of a sudden she looked gloomily at Mike.

"What's up, not good enough?"

"Yeah, of course, but not on this way. The Darwin is Kate's boat and that means…"

Mike nodded sadly and looked thoughtful at her. "Exactly."

"Jesus. What a mess."

"Hmm, it will be hard, but on the other hand she was looking for a way to be here. I'll fix it she can take over your job."

"Hmm, ok."

He left her office and hurried home to get some clothes and toiletries. Next, he rushed to the airport to catch the first plane to Sydney.

 _To be continued._


	17. Chapter 17 The day after

**Chapter 17. The day after**

It was in the early evening when Mike arrived at St George hospital in Sydney. It was raining and he wore a blue navy rain coat. The entrance hall was deserted, except for a single man behind the desk. He padded straight to him.

"Hi, I want to see Commander McGregor", he said.

The man barely looked up and mumbled, "Visiting time is over for today. Come tomorrow from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm".

Mike raised his eyebrows in surprise and pulled his coat off.

"Don't you know ranks anymore petty officer?", he said sharply.

The man lifted his head abruptly, saw the oak leaf of Mike's visor cap and the four bands on his shoulder boards. He jumped immediately upright whereby he knocked over his chair that hit the floor with a load whack. He stood in attention, his eyes fixed on Mike's right shoulder. "Sir!", he said out loud.

"I want to speak Commander McGregor and I want to speak the treating doctor!", he ordered.

"Sir! Yes, sir!", the petty officer answered and he grabbed the phone to dial a number.

Five minutes later, a tired looking officer with and open white coat arrived. He saw Mike and walked to him. "Good evening sir, I'm Lieutenant-Commander Dave Cox", he greeted Mike unimpressed.

"Captain Mike Flynn, CO of the Cairns base. Are you the treating doctor for Commander McGregor?", Mike said.

"Yes sir, I am. Are you a relative?", he asked coolly.

"Yes, I am. How's she doing?", Mike asked, trying to stay calm.

"Well, actually we were discussing her case, until they called me", Cox answered irritated.

"And?", Mike asked again, ignoring the man's irritation.

"It's the right foot. Quite dirty and complex. I think it would be better to amputate...", Cox answered, but he got cut off by Mike.

"You think?", he repeated baffled.

"Yes, sir, we think that because it's going to take a lot of hours to fix the foot and even then, there's only a little chance that she can keep it, so I...", Cox was answering, but he was again interrupted by Mike.

"Doctor, you've just told me what you are going to do!", Mike replied straightening his back

"Sir?"

"You've said that there's still a chance that she can keep her foot. Well?", Mike repeated.

The man looked unhappily, "Uh, but sir, that will take a lot a hours and even then..."

"Lieutenant-commander, the government is paying you for that. So, do your job!", he ordered.

The doctor straightened his back also, "Yes sir!", he answered stiffly.

Mike grabbed his business card and handed it to the doctor. "Call me when you've finished!"

"Yes sir!"

"Nice, carry on doctor", Mike replied with a nod and watched how the surgeon walked a tad quicker to his department. Then, he turned and walked outside to find a hotel.

'Idiots!", he mumbled barely audible.

The weather was extremely hot and sunny, the sea of the Gulf of Aden was deep blue and smooth as a millpond. The XO, Lieutenant-Commander Mark Thompson, and three other sailors stood on the bridge wing to look at a small speedboat with five pirates.

"They stopped, ma'am", Kate's XO said out loud over his shoulder.

"Stop both engines!", Kate ordered.

"Stop both engines", the petty officer at the helm repeated.

Kate padded outside on the bridge wing and lifted her binoculars to look at the pirates in the small boat. Weird in fact. The outboard motor of the small boat was in fact too heavy for it. Five men with dark brown almost black complexion sat in the boat, their hands up, their ugly faces staring upwards. Kate noticed also a few machine guns on the bottom of the boat. All of a sudden one of them bent and grabbed a RPG rocket launcher and aimed it at the bridge.

"What the heck!", she reacted.

"Away!", Mark Thomson screamed as he grabbed her collar and yanked her away from the railing.

A flash, an explosion, a whack, a pang, noises of breaking material, darkness...

Muffled voices, pain, a prick, darkness...

Pain, more pricks, darkness...

A faint shine of light.

 _RPG. We're hit. Damage report! I need a damage report! Open fire! X! Open fire on these bastards! Casualties? We need a medic!_

 _Oh my gosh, my head bursts! Why can't I see clearly? I need to know what happens! Shit, I can't move? Why?_

 _Someone is bending over me?_

 _It's Mike. Mike?_

"Uh.. Mike... What...are...you... doing...on... board?", Kate mumbled.

"Katie, honey, you're safe now!", Mike said while caressing her cheek.

Kate blinked to see more clearly. "Mike? Where am I?", she asked faintly.

"Everything is fine now. You're in the hospital", he replied.

"Huh? My head hurts", she said closing her eyes again.

"Something heavy has hit your head and you have a concussion", Mike answered as he hold her hand.

She groped for her head and felt the bandage, "Oh gosh!", she mumbled.

Kate sighed and grimaced, "Oooh, awful! Why is it so dark here?", Kate asked as she looked around.

"Too much light would hurt you even more".

"Uh-hu."

Then, she tried to sit upright, "Mike, why can't I move? Where are the others? The ship? The pirates? And why can't I move my leg!", she asked nervously and the last sentence had a panic tone.

Mike stopped her gently, "Honey,take it easy. It will be all right, believe me", he said as he tapped her hand.

She looked desperately at him, "Darling, when you're starting to tell that crap over and over again, then I know that it's seriously stuffed up! I'm sorry dear, but you're a very bad liar. Why can't I move my leg and where's the ship?", she asked as she clenched his hand.

Mike ignored her question and asked something else to gain a bit of time, "How do you feel?"

It seemed to work.

"Weird. I have a headache, I feel dizzy and everything hurts, especially my foot, it throbs".

Mike nodded. "Can you remember what happened?"

Kate shrugged, "We intercepted pirates and they seemed to surrender, so we came nearer and all of a sudden one of these bastards took a RPG7 and aimed it at us. I remember that someone yanked me by my collar away, there was a flash and nothing more. The next thing that I saw was your face", she answered with a faint smile.

He smiled back and gave her a kiss.

"Honey, I'm so happy that I have you back again", he said.

Kate realised all of a sudden that he had bypassed her previous question, "Yes darling, but where am I in fact and why can't I move my leg?", she asked agitated.

"Take it easy honey.."

"You're in the St George hospital in Sydney."

"Jeez! There? Why? Is it…?", she asked with widened eyes.

Mike sensed a fear in her voice.

"Honey it will be all right."

"Mike ! That's bullshit. When people start to say that it will be all right, then it means that it's complete crap. So, don't. I want the truth. Why am I here and not in a normal hospital?", she replied fiercely.

 _Hmm, she didn't lose her temper. That's for sure._

He caressed her hand.

"Listen, I don't know much yet, but it seems that there was something wrong with your foot."

"Uh?"

"I asked for the doctor when I arrived. I guess that he will be here within a couple of minutes."

"Hmm."

She paused an instant.

"Mike, all my personal belongings are still on board, your ring also," she said a bit guilty.

"It doesn't matter. They'll send them to Cairns as soon as the Darwin will return for repair."

"Repair? You know more? Tell me!", she asked by straightening as much as possible.

"I've talked with Henderson and he said that the bridge was largely destroyed and there were four casualties and five wounded including you."

"Four death? Oh my God!", she exclaimed and plopped back on her pillow. "Aargh! That hurts. Damn." Kate groaned making a face.

"Who?"

"I don't have names honey. I flew immediately to here when I heard that you arrived in this hospital".

She paused, processing the information.

"The pirates?"

"Henderson said your people made chopped meat of them."

"Good!"

They looked to the door when they heard a knock on it. It was pushed open and the surgeon of last night entered.

"Hi I'm doctor Dave Cox, I did the surgery. How do you feel Miss McGregor?"

"Sore, over my whole body. Headache and my foot hurts", she replied softly.

Cox nodded. "That's normal. You've had a serious smack, but that goes well. As for your foot it's something quite different. It was stuck under the debris of the bridge and it was almost crushed. We repaired it as good as possible. So you may be lucky you still have it."

Kate widened her eyes and her face became ash-colour. Without realising it she was clenching Mike's hand.

"Listen Miss McGregor, I'm not a man who tells fairy tales. You still have your foot, but some things are definitely from history like running, dancing and high heels. In fact all that requires intense foot work. Thus no active service on boats anymore."

"But how doctor? Will I ever be able to walk again?", she asked in panic.

"Yes you can still walk, but it's impossible to say the percentage of walking you will have. In fact, we had to put together the pieces of the puzzle that was your foot and it has lost its flexibility, but we can't say how much percentage you'll lost. It's something that you'll find out after a few months", he said.

"Months?", Kate repeated in disbelief.

"Physiotherapy will of course help you to regain some", Cox added dryly.

"Some? Oh my God!"

Kate realised what his words meant and tears ran down her cheeks.

"Have you an idea when she can leave the hospital?", Mike asked.

"The head injury will heal quickly, it's just stitched. As for the concussion, it will be forgotten in a few days. For the foot, we'll keep her a week for follow-up and to operate if there are complications. If all goes well, then it's up to Mother Nature to continue the healing but there must be a continuous follow-up and each decent hospital is able to do so. Where would you like to go?"

"Cairns."

"Hmm, that's a good one too. "

"Ok."

"Well, if you start feeling more pain or if you have question, just call the nurse and I'll be there. Ok?", he said.

Kate nodded.

"Ok, See you", Cox replied and he left.

Both looked at each other.

Kate sighed and leaned back on her pillows.

"Mike, I can't believe what I'm hearing. Did he really mean that I couldn't walk normally? And that for the rest of my life?" Her eyes became wet again.

"Darling that is what he said but he doesn't know how long."

"Crap!" "Not with a cane I hope? NO, I'm not going to walk with a cane. NO WAY!", she yelled almost while tears ran down her cheeks from pure desperation.

They remained silent while Mike caressed her hand to comfort her.

"Mike? Does that mean that I've lost my job?",she asked panicked.

"No, honey, not at all. It means that you'll get a shore posting. And I already know which one."

"What?" Kate asked suspiciously wiping her tears.

"Chief operations as replacement of Maxine."

"Pardon?"

"Yes, you've heard me well. We were looking for a job in Cairns for you. By chance Maxine told me she wanted back to sea and I told Henderson about it. Now with your accident, he needed another captain for the Darwin and he asked me if my candidate was still available. Maxine agreed."

"Hmm, but what in the meanwhile? I don't see myself entering the office tomorrow. I'm not fit at all", Kate said glaring at her leg.

"I'll ask my parents to come over. They will take care for you."

"Mike! I don't know them at all."

"Oh, but that's not a problem. They know you because I've been telling them about you for years."

"Hmm, by the way, did you tell them about us? Our situation, now."

"Yes, I did."

"How did they react?"

"Surprised and then happy. They wanted to know if you were _the_ girl about whom I was talking for years. They asked me how long we were together. When I said how long they wanted to know why we didn't pop over immediately", he answered with a grin.

"Hmm, nice first acquaintance in such a situation", She said gloomily.

"You'll see, they'll like you immediately. I'll call them right now."

"Mike, this is a hospital, no mobiles!"

"Ssht, they don't have to know that", he replied with a grin whereby Kate shook slightly her head rolling her eyes.

He dialed the number.

"Hey dad, it's me, Mike."

"Hey Mike, we really thought that you forgot our number", his father replied.

"No no, too busy in fact, but uh... I wanted to ask you something because we've here a small problem."

Kate heard that and glared at him.

"Kate has a broken foot and can't move at all when I'm not home and I wanted to know if you could come to take care for her for a couple of weeks?"

"Ouch, what happened? Is she one of that frigate? We've seen it on TV", he said.

"Yes, she is, but uh... is it possible?", Mike asked again.

"Yeah, sure! I'm retired and mum will be on the cloud nine!", he answered.

"When? Within a week she may leave the hospital and go home."

"Yeah, let us organise something and we shall fly to Cairns. Wait! I'll have to hang up because mum is yelling 'what happened?'", he said with a smirk.

"Thanks a lot dad!"

He ended the call and looked at Kate. "You see, they agree."

She glared at him, "Mike, you're a clown. 'A small problem' you call this a small problem?", she said irritated while pointing at the plaster on her foot. "I probably won't be able to walk normally anymore!"

"Honey, they are quite elderly. If I had told them the truth, they would have panicked."

"Hmm. Sorry darling. I'm a bit too irritated now", she said guilty.

"DAMN, I'm angry at myself!", Kate exclaimed all of a sudden.

"Darling, it's not your fault", he tried to comfort her by grabbing her hand.

"It's not that, but it's the fact I'm going to be limited in what I wanted to do. By the way, does Nikki already know?"

"She's at sea, so not from me directly, but Dylan knows and he surely had texted her or has sent her an e-mail."

"Ok."

They remained silent for a moment.

"Pfft, I'm tired and my head is still sore", Kate said as she sank a little deeper into her pillow.

"That's normal. Your body is now busy with a huge healing task. Get some sleep. I'm at the hotel now and in a few days we go home."

She sighed. "Yeah, …. Home."

 _To be continued._


	18. Chapter 18 A long way to go

**Chapter 18 A long way to go**

 **Cairns, three months later**

"Honey, that was a very good piece of fried tuna", Mike said when he left the kitchen.

"Thank you, that makes me happy", Kate answered.

He poured a glass of white wine and padded with his glass to the couch and sat down. He took a sip and looked at Kate who cleaned and dried the table and how she limped back to the kitchen.

 _If I offer to help her, she'll bite my head off by saying that she's not totally cripple yet!_

 _How much time has passed since we left the hospital? Weeks? Months already ! Gosh, time flies. Since when did we get back together? Two months earlier than the accident? Almost 5-6 months from now. It seems like yesterday. Luckily, everything has calmed down a bit now. We found our habits and daily business and it is now time for us to spend more time about our future._

He watched how Kate managed to put something in the cupboard.

 _It's not fair seeing her like that. She doesn't deserve that. She managed to walk without a cane in house and at Navcom, but she still needs it on the street. But I know her, from the moment she can do without she will throw the bloody thing, as she calls it, miles away._

 **Cairns, 4 months earlier.**

Mike and Kate have left the hospital in Sydney. They've flown to Cairns and a car of the Navy has brought them to his house.

Each mile that they came closer to the house, Kate became more and more sombre and whatever Mike tried the say, she answered with a plain 'yes' or 'no'.

They arrived and the driver prepared the wheelchair for her. Mike helped her to get out of the car and to sit down in the wheelchair.

"Mike, are your parents really here now?", she asked.

"Oh, you can talk!", he said with a smile.

"Don't be daft!", she grumbled.

"Yes, they're here to help you", he said.

"Oh, Mike! Can't you understand? I'm going to meet your parents for the first time and look at me! A stupid T-shirt, a sweat-pants, a flip-flop and my hair sticks to my head! Couldn't it wait until I'm up and about again?", she asked annoyed.

"And what are you going to do with a leg that you may not move while I'm at Navcom?", he parried her.

Kate knew he was right. She bit her lip and looked away angrily.

"Come on, it's not that bad! They've managed to raise me, you know", he said lighthearted as he wheeled her to the front door.

"Great! That comforts me enormously!", she grumbled.

His mother has heard the car and opened the door, "Aah! There you are! Welcome home!", she exclaimed.

He noticed his father behind her.

"Hi, mum. We finally arrived, and this is Kate. Kate, my mother and father", he said.

"Hi, nice to meet you", Kate greeted her solemnly.

His mother held out her the hand and while shaking hands, she said, "I'm Megan, but call me Meg, everyone does it".

She stepped aside for her husband, "Here's Jeffrey, Jef", she said introducing him.

"Hello", Kate said as both shook hands as well.

"So, you're the beloved girlfriend of our Mike? Well, he has been talking about you for years, so that we know you almost as well as he does!", his father said.

"Oh? Is it?", Kate wondered as she glanced at Mike who was all of a sudden extremely busy with luggage.

"Come dear, can you stand up?", Meg asked as she helped Kate to get up. "How was your flight?"

Kate grimaced, "Tiresome!"

"Then, we are going to do something about that!", Meg said as she led Kate into the living room. She had put Kate's arm around her shoulders and Kate was surprised about the strength of the old lady.

Kate was surprised to see that they had prepared a club chair for her with a footrest.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she sank into the easy chair.

"Something to drink?", Meg asked.

"A brew... uh... coffee", Kate said, correcting herself.

"Never mind dear, we have a sailor in the family and we're already used to his strange descriptions!", she said with a smile when she padded to the kitchen.

Meanwhile, Mike sat down next to her and gave her ring back, "Your stuff from the Darwin has been brought here", he said.

"Thanks", she croaked out as she put the ring on her finger again while tears popped up in her eyes, "Sorry, I can't help it. I feel so damn helpless! I'm not used to that!".

"Hey, honey, it's over now. It's going to go better, each day a bit!", he said rubbing her thigh.

"Coffee and Timtams!", Meg said out loud, ignoring the fact that Kate wiped quickly a few tears from her cheeks.

Timtams and coffee broke the ice and Kate felt at ease and both women chatted like they knew each other already for years.

Mike walked to his kitchen and his father followed him a moment later.

"Mike?"

"Yeah?"

"So, this is the famous girl you left years ago?", he remarked bluntly.

"Yes, it's her", Mike replied.

"Well, from what I've already seen and heard, she's a diamond and now even more, I can't understand why you've left her. "

"Uh..."

"Son, I'll promise this, if you leave her again, then you'll get a couple of blows from me! Understood?", Jef said while he stood only a few centimetres from Mike's face.

"Don't worry dad! It won't happen again. I promise!", he replied.

Mike took another sip and smiled when he heard Kate humming a song.

 _She's happy! That's good. I remember her first day as Chief Operating Officer at Navcom. Her foot was still in the plaster..._

Mike has parked this car and helped Kate with the wheelchair. He has just started to wheel her inside, when a sailor offered to do it. When they entered the large operations room, everyone became quiet. They wheeled her into Maxine's former office and he helped her to sit into the chair.

"So, here you go commander! Fair winds!", he said to her.

He got a smile from her in return, "Thanks darling".

She looked around. "It's strange to sit in the office of Steve Marshall and Maxine. I've never thought I would be sitting here too".

Mike shrugged, "You see that you can't predict the future. We do have an idea what we are going to do together, but not what life will bring us...", he said with a shrug.

A knock on the door made them look at it. Her assistant, Dylan, stood in the doorway. "Sir, ma'am, I'm really sorry, I've a message from the Kingston", he said.

Mike smiled at her, "You see, some things never end!", he said and left her office.

Dylan looked at her, "Kate, how are you doing now?"

She smiled at him, "I'm fine! I'm absolutely fine!", she said whereby he threw her a suspicious glance.

"What?"

He lifted his eyebrows, "Oh, nothing. I'm glad that you're back here. We're going to have a great time, we all four", he said to navigate away from the touchy subject.

Afterwards the officers, nco's and sailors at Navcom who had known her earlier entered one by one her office to congratulate and welcome her. It did her good to get these compliments. When the day came to an end, it looked like she did the job already for years.

Mike was happy and relieved. Kate kept strong at Navcom and at home. She accepted her situation, and did not complain about her invalidity, although he expected the worst. But he was wrong! It was to keep up appearance and everything came back to the surface a few days later.

Nikki was at sea with the Hammersley because she had left one day before Mike and Kate returned from Sydney.

But, the Hammersley docked again after the patrol and Nikki changed in her whites as quick as she could and hurried to Navcom where she rushed into Kate's office without knocking.

"Kate! What did I hear? I freaked out! I'm so sorry I couldn't come earlier. How are you now? Dylan told me that you were ok, but I didn't want to believe my bugger until I saw you!", she rattled in one take and plopped down on a chair.

Kate looked at her friend and that was the moment that she broke. She started sobbing, "I... I can't... walk ... anymore. I'm crippled for the rest of my life!"

Nikki stood up and kicked the door which closed with a loud noise and went around the desk to give Kate a hug.

"Kate, dear, it will be fine. Just give it some time. Mike told Dylan that it will not be that bad. You'll be a bit stiff, that's all. You'll see that both of us will go shopping again in a couple of months and without a wheelchair!", she comforted Kate.

"That's easy for you to say that! It's my foot which is screwed up", she grumbled.

"Then you're wrong! When I was a kid, I used to climb on everything and one day I slipped and I fell two meters down and I broke my ankle. Agree, in the beginning it was stiff, but after a few sessions of physiotherapy, I could do everything again with it", Nikki told.

"Sure?"

"Of course you silly girl!", Nikki replied giving Kate a big hug again.

Nikki walked back to the chair and sat down, "Well, how it goes now with Mike's parents?", she asked and saw the startled face of Kate

"Don't look like that Kate, Dylan briefed me by email".

Kate shrugged and produced a faint smile, "Meg and Jef are really kind people, but it's getting on my nerves that I can't do anything in the house. Even going to the toilet is a problem because I may not stand on it. So, I need his mother or Mike to help me!", she said rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, and it won't help you to be wound up. Let it wash over you and you'll see that time will go faster", she said.

Kate shrugged, "Maybe, I'll have to listen to you again!"

Nikki grinned at her friend as response.

Kate got her sense of humour back and Nikki was the first to taste it.

The day she has to leave on a patrol again, she entered Kate's office knocking lightly on the doorframe. Kate was busy to read something about a new policy for refugees and the glanced at the visitor over her papers. "Hi", she greeted Nikki dryly.

"Where do we have to go to?", Nikki asked.

Kate put the papers aside and briefed Nikki, but when the latter was about to leave, Kate recalled her.

"Lieutenant-commander, it's not because we shared once a cabin that you have to deny the hierarchy. You knock and you wait until I call you in", she remarked icily.

Nikki froze on the spot. She turned pale and mouth slightly open she stared a Kate who remained still ice.

"Uh...", she stammered.

Then, Kate's eyes started to twinkle and a smile appeared on her face.

Nikki noticed it and turned all red, "Ooh! You, mean creature! I really thought that you were serious! Aah! How dare you! It's because I have to leave tonight, otherwise I'd have taken you back", she raged.

Mike took a sip and looked at the wine in the glass.

He frowned.

 _No, it didn't go that smoothly all the time..._

Physiotherapy was hard and painful, sometimes accompanied with tears of pain, disappointment and frustration. But it was getting better and better. The wheelchair was no longer of any use to Kate and she walked with a cane. Mike's parents went home as well. She wasn't wearing the official white shoes, but a pair of comfortable white sneakers. She wanted to see Dylan in the operations room about an issue with one of the patrol boats and left her office. She felt so courageous that she left her cane next to her chair and limped towards his desk.

"Dylan...", she started as she reached it and she shifted her weight on her bad foot. Unfortunately her foot couldn't support her full weight yet. Kate lost her balance.

"Hey?", she exclaimed startled. She fell and hit the side of his desk with her head, just above her right eye. It happened so fast that Dylan didn't have had the chance to grab her in her fall. A petty officer poked a sailor to get the captain. Dylan helped her upright. Mike was at the spot as quick as lightning and he helped her back to her office. "Ice pack!", he ordered and a sailor ran to the mess. While he helped her to sit back in her chair, the sailor was already there with the icepack.

"Thanks", he mumbled.

Kate moaned and composed herself a bit.

"Katie, how are you? Does it hurt?", he asked concerned.

"What do you think? It feels good!", she snapped glaring at him while she pressed her hand to her eye.

"My head feels like it's stuck in a vise!"

"This will do good to you", he said as he tried to pull her hand away to hold the ice pack against her head.

Angrily she pushed it away, "Go away with that fucking ice pack! What do they have to think? We're the staff! It looks so ridiculous!"

"Ok, okokok, but the ice will calm down the bruise", he said and looked at her.

Kate glared at him, "What? I've work to do!"

"Ok, if you need something, give me a call, ok?", he said before leaving.

"Yeah, will do".

During the drive homewards, Kate sat slumped next to Mike, with her eyes closed.

"How do you feel?", he asked.

"Headache. It feels like they are busy with pneumatic hammer in my head", she said faintly.

"Did you take a painkiller?"

"No".

"Why? It could have helped you", he asked surprised.

"I hate pills", she replied faintly again without opening her eyes.

"Honey, it's just a painkiller. It's harmless".

"Mike, are you going to nag all the time?", she snapped. She was angry at everything and everyone especially at herself.

He lifted his eyebrows and continued driving.

At home she shuffled directly to the bathroom to look at herself.

The view was awful, a reddish bump on her forehead and a black eye.

"Oh no!", she moaned.

Kate touched the bump and made a face.

Desperate she grabbed the bottle of painkillers to take one and limped back to the living room.

"Have you seen me?", she asked Mike irritated.

"Yes, why?", he asked innocently.

"Why? Are stupid questions your trademark? I've a bump on my head as big as Ayers Rock and I'm looking like a panda bear and you dare to ask why!", she snapped angrily.

"Honey, I wanted to help you with an ice pack, but you didn't want to", he replied.

Kate glared at him, "You could have told me! What now?"

He shrugged, "You didn't want to listen to me"

"Shut up!"

"What do you want to eat?", he asked to get away with the touchy subject.

"Nothing! I can't eat anything", she grumbled as she limped to the bedroom.

In the bedroom Kate toed off her sneakers and sat down on the bed. She bent to pull out her socks, but she sat quickly up again. "Oooh, fucking head", she moaned. Then she stood up and lowered the zip of her trousers, but unfortunately the fabric got stuck in the zip. "Damn, can't you really do nothing good? You stupid tart! ", she cursed out loud.

"You can't even use a fucking zip or even stand on your fucking feet!", she sobbed and sank down on the bed again.

Mike heard the moans and hurried to the bedroom to find Kate crying with disappointment. He sat down and pulled her to his chest.

"I can't do anything anymore! Everything fails", she whined.

He waited until she calmed down and helped her to take off her uniform and put on a comfortable casual dress. Finally he gave her a glass of wine to make her feel good.

Weeks passed and Christmas arrived. Physiotherapy was working well and Kate has made progress. She felt so confident that she forgot the surgeon's advice. Unfortunately the harsh reality hit her hard.

They had planned a dinner with Nikki and Dylan in one of the restaurants in Cairns. Her mood was perfect. Mike was waiting for Kate in the living room and leafing through a magazine.

"Here I am!", she announced joyously.

He turned and whistled."Wow, you look gorgeous!"

Kate was wearing a red fluffy blouse and a black satin trousers. He also saw that she put on make-up. He approached her to give her a kiss and noticed that she was wearing black lacquered heeled pumps. "Are these really ok for you?"

Her eyes twinkled, "Of course, it's ok. I'm feel great. My foot is still somewhat sore, but it's always sore".

He shrugged, "Ok then honey, let's go".

After a while at the restaurant, Nikki was the first to see that there was something wrong with Kate. She became quiet and sweat drops appeared on her forehead. "Kate, are you ok?".

She shook her head, "No, I ignored the surgeon's advice about the shoes and my foot is killing me now".

"Mike, can you get some flip-flops or slippers from somewhere?"

"I have some in the car", Nikki said and she stood up to get them.

Kate poured herself also a glass and came to sit next to him.

"Cheers." She said and took a sip. "You seem to be miles away!"

"Oh? Yes, I was. How's your foot?", he asked before taking a sip as well.

Kate shrugged. "Sore. I have to get used to it, I guess?"

"Hmm, I was just thinking about our turbulent start."

"Yeah turbulent, that's the least you can say about it."

"What would you think about a real holiday?"

"Hmm, I don't say 'no'", she looked at him with a smile.

"Our first intention? Tahiti?"

Kate's gaze went from him to the living room and her smile became thoughtful.

"Anything wrong with it?", he asked worried.

"Uh, … yes and no. It brings back too much memories. We had each our expectations which didn't became real, then there were misunderstandings, followed by huge mistakes. No, we'd better look for something else."

Mike stroke his hair. "Yeah, I can follow you. Do you have any suggestion?"

"Yeah, I do." Kate sounded enthusiastic. "Europe. I've already dreamt to see Paris and Provence in the south of France. I heard quite a lot about it and it must be a paradise."

He lifted his eyebrows, "Europe? Ouch. That's heavy."

"Mike, don't worry. The last years I earned a lot of money and I hardly spent it. I'll take the majority of the costs. Consider it as a small refund for leaving you years ago."

"Hmm I'm tempted by the idea of Europe, but we'll split it, you don't have to pay that alone. But, there's a problem. I can't speak a single word of French", he said.

"No problem, I'll manage."

"Ok and how long?"

"Four weeks in total? Otherwise it's not worthwhile."

"Exactly. But that brings me to an idea. My great-grandfather was missing in action on the Western Front, especially in the region of Ypres in Belgium. I did some search on it years ago and it would seem his name is inscribed on one of the walls of a building called Menin Gate or something like that."

"Who was it? And is Ypres far from Paris?", she asked.

"Lieutenant Hugh Michael Flynn and Ypres is not that far, about 300 Km. Do you remember if you have relatives who could be buried there?"

"Yes, one of the things I remember was that father told me about the brother of his grandfather, Private, Dugald Fergus McGregor. He was from the Gordon Highlanders and is buried on the Tyne Cot Cemetery."

"Right, let's take two days to do that tour."

"When do you want to go?"

"During July or August, then it's summer in Europe."

"Oh, we'd better start looking for a flight and hotels. That's not that far away anymore!" Kate said convinced.

 _To be continued._


	19. Chapter 19 Europe

**Chapter 19 Europe**

' **Paris s'éveille'**

Sombre light entered the room and rain was ticking against the window. Mike woke up and looked frowning at the window.

 _Rain today? Hopefully not for the entire day! We arrived yesterday in the drizzle and I really hoped for some sun and fresh air after a tiresome flight from Sydney._

He turned towards Kate who was still sleeping peacefully.

"Bon-jour, ma-dame", Mike said pushing back her hair from her forehead with his fingers.

Kate opened her eyes and smiled at him.

"Are you still asleep?", he wondered.

"No. I was listening to the rain. You're so cute, but your accent is to compare with a hungry grizzly bear", she said.

"Uh..."

Kate stood up and opened the curtains. The outside light highlighted her perfect figure through her very short and transparent night-dress.

She turned to him and saw him smiling from one ear to another.

"What are you smiling at?" She asked, but she sat down suddenly holding her stomach and sighed.

Mike noticed the change in her reaction and was rapidly awake.

"Honey what's going on?"

"I … I don't know", she stammered.

"All of a sudden I felt queasy. You can compare it with sea sickness, but we're not onboard . Maybe the jet lag or something I've eaten yesterday evening I didn't digest. These Burgundy snails, perhaps?"

Mike made a face, "I wasn't very enthusiast about your choice last night and I'm glad I took the steak".

After she had taken a shower, she left the bathroom in her underwear and looked gloomily at the rain outside.

"Great! I have only summer clothes with me", she grumbled.

She turned towards Mike as he asked her : "Honey, how do you feel now?"

"Good. It passed. I'm hungry now. Weird", she replied.

Downstairs they returned from the breakfast buffet and sat down.

Mike looked suspiciously at Kate's plate.

"Wow, I never knew you were taking fried bacon as breakfast."

"Yeah, I like it", she said smiling.

"Hmm, with peaches?", he said making a face.

"Why not?"

"Ok, ok, it's your stomach", Mike said lifting his hands.

They finished breakfast and then left the hotel to go around the city. The rain showers were gone, but the pavements were still wet with a few pools. You could see more and more blue sky with a bit of sun above Paris, but the cold north-westerly wind prevented you from believing that you were in July. The chilly wind was blowing over the square of the Palais de Chaillot from where you had a splendid view of the Eiffel tower.

"Isn't that marvellous?", he asked.

"Indeed, I always dreamt to see this", she answered moving her camera in all directions to catch the panorama.

"Give it to me, I'll take a picture of you in front of it", he offered.

"Perhaps you could ask someone to take a picture of us both?", she suggested.

"Yeah, good idea", Mike replied and looked around to find someone.

"Yeah, but quick, I'm freezing", she said shivering.

He found another tourist who took a few pictures of them in front of the Eiffel Tower.

They looked at the little screen and Mike nodded satisfied, "Nice, that's done."

"Aargh, so cold. Are you sure this is summer in Europe? 15 degrees Celsius, that's less then our winter in Cairns!", Kate grumbled while stuffing her hands deep in the pockets of her raincoat.

"Honey, you ought to know that. You spent your childhood in Europe."

"That were the Cotswolds in England. Paris is much more south. I expected a soft warm climate. But no. My feet are soaking wet and my toes are blue in my sandals. Come on, I want to buy a cardigan and some closed shoes!"

"How's your foot actually. I haven't heard you complaining the last few weeks."

Kate shrugged. "Darling, my foot reminds me that I have a foot. I can't tell you continuously that it's sore, isn't it. Week after week, it just keeps getting better and better, or is it the fact that I'm getting used to the feeling."

After a visit to the Eiffel Tower they ended up during lunch time in a brasserie. They were looking together at the menu.

"Did you make your choice? I'll go for the salad with goat cheese" Mike said.

"Yeah, I take the smoked salmon and a cup of strawberries", Kate added.

He looked at her frowning, "Uh? Salmon with strawberries? Never heard from that combination before. Are you're ok?"

Kate returned him a questioning look, "Yeah. Do I look like I'm ill?"

"No, not at all, it's just a bit strange", he answered surprised.

 **Flanders**

After three days of sightseeing in Paris, they took the train to Lille where they hired a car to drive the small distance to Ypres in Flanders in Belgium. They had booked a room in the Novotel in the centre of the city. The next day they planned to visit the former World War I battlefield.

"A delicious breakfast this morning. Especially these crusty bread rolls. How do the Flemings call them?", Mike asked while driving the hired car outside Ypres.

"Pistolets", Kate answered. "I'm just wondering if I could find the recipe to bake them."

"Uh-hu. How do you feel now? This morning you said you didn't feel well again", Mike asked worried.

"Indeed. I felt sick of the stomach."

"Did you have to throw up?"

"No, thank God no! After a shower it was over."

Mike heard a soft crack and looked at Kate who put a piece of chocolate in her mouth.

"Still hungry?"

"Hmm, just a taste. That Belgian chocolate is so good. Do you want some?", she mumbled with a mouthful.

"No thanks. I just had breakfast", he replied with a smile.

"By the way, I haven't seen this from you before. Since we arrived in Paris you have always something to nibble."

Kate shrugged, "I can't help it. I always get hungry since a few days."

They left the city and they drove towards Tyne Cot Cemetery.

"Amazing landscape here. We're outside the city and you keep on seeing houses everywhere. People live literally on each other jaw here", Kate remarked looking around.

"Awful. Look at all these small cemeteries in the middle of the fields, they are everywhere."

"Yeah, they were buried at the spot where they died. This region has been a battlefield for four years. Everywhere was mud", Mike said.

Kate shook her head. "I can't imagine. Although, I can make the link now with these 53000 names of missing soldiers inscribed on the walls of the Menin Gate. That ceremony from yesterday evening, that was unbelievable. Each day they blow the Last Post there at 20:00 for decades already! I was also surprised to see the huge amount of visitors and they were all silent. Amazing!"

"Yeah, it's remarkable!"

"I shivered when we found Hugh Michael Flynn on that wall. So, he could still be here, somewhere?", Kate said making a vague gesture with her hand to the outside.

Mike nodded, "Possibly."

They stopped at the parking of Tyne Cot and entered the cemetery. Mike was reading a flyer about it and Kate wandered around with her camera.

"This is the largest one, almost 12000 bodies whereby 70 % unknowns. And on that wall another 33700 missing in actions", he said gesturing with his thumb over his shoulder to the large white wall.

After a while he said, "Here he is, Dugald Fergus McGregor",.

Kate grabbed her handbag and took a ballpoint and the small cross that she bought in the city. She wrote their both names and Australia on it and put it in front of the stone.

He pointed to the grave of an unknown soldier next to that of Dugald. "Kate, this is one, a 'Known unto God'. Probably his name is on the Menin Gate. Maybe it's Hugh Flynn".

She looked at him gloomy. "It must be awful to be buried in foreign soil without your name."

"For us sailors it's even worse, a sailor's grave at sea with a rusty anchor chain", he said dryly.

Kate's eyes became dark, she lifted her hands and said irritated. "Mike, stop! You frighten me and you make me sad. One more word and I resign when we'll come back home and I'll bake _pistolets_ and I'll start a pistolets shop in the centre of Cairns!".

 **Provence**

It was early in the afternoon and the sun was sending its warmth to the vineyards, olive trees and lavender fields. Plane trees provided desired shade but then you had to accept the deafening sound of the crickets in their canopies. Lots of small asphalt roads made a maze of grey lines in the region. A small white car followed these grey lines like a bug on a straw. At a T-crossroad it stopped.

Kate put her sunglasses in her hair and let her hands rest on top of the steering wheel. She sighed, "Jeez, do French people have a built-in GPS or what? To go to Roussillon , the land of ochres, I turn right or left? They are not keen to put many road signs here."

"Hmm, hard to say. The scale of this map is too big to find out", Mike grumbled holding his finger on what he believed to be their position.

Kate saw that and laughed, "Ask Nikki, she's the nav"!

"Funny!", he mumbled.

They looked around and he saw a man in the vineyard to their right side.

"There's someone", he said pointing with his finger.

"Yep, indeed. A local. He knows for sure where Roussillon is", she mused.

"Ok, I'm going to ask him!", he said enthusiastically.

"You're sure?", she asked lifting one eyebrow.

"Absolutely!", he said and he got out of the car and walked towards the man.

"If you say so", she mumbled.

Kate looked at him. Sunglasses, shorts and the red shirt with short sleeves that she bought for him in Paris hung loosely over his shorts. She smiled when she saw him doing his best to explain in his awful French where they want to go to.

 _Cute. Irresistible._

He returned and got in.

"And?"

"Hmm, … to the right."

"Ok."

She restarted the car and turned right. Two kilometres further she stopped abruptly at a road sign indicating the village.

'GOULT'.

"Mike? This is Goult, not Roussillon."

"Strange. Roussillon had to be the first village we encounter", Mike said amazed.

"You're sure it was to the right?", she asked him.

"Uh, yeah, it was."

Kate looked at him suspiciously, "Mike? What French word that man told to you?"

"Hmm, 'gauche'", he said thoughtfully while nodding.

"Oh Mike! 'Gauche' is _left_ , not right. 'A droite' means to the right", she reacted indignantly.

"Ouch. Sorry Katie."

She sighed. "Right, now that we're here, we can have a look right away at this village, yes?"

"That's ok to me."

They parked the car at the square and they started to make a tour of the small village. After a while they walked back.

"Nice village, it has everything what you can imagine about this area. It's quiet, there's a square with plane trees, it's built on the top of a hill, there are ancient city gates and a wind mill. Cute", he said.

He looked at the bouquet of lavender she just bought. "What are you going to do with that?"

"Hmm, I'm going to split it. A bouquet at home and one at my desk", Kate said.

Mike nodded, "Yeah, indeed".

 _And how are you going to put that in our suitcases? Moreover, how are you going to smuggle this into our country? The customs will refuse that immediately. If you succeed in that, then I'm Santa Claus!_

Kate was putting her camera away when Mike touched her shoulder and pointed to a terrace. "Time for a refreshment."

"Yeah, I need it."

They walked to one of the tables to sit down when he said. "I'll go inside."

Kate touched his arm, "No, take a seat. I'll do it. It might be possible you come out with a hot chocolate milk. In the previous village they thought we were Russians when you asked them something."

He grinned and sat down and looked at Kate when she got inside with her remaining limped walk. She wore a top, a pair of shorts and flat sandals. Her blond hair was tied in a loose pony tail.

 _Gosh, she's beautiful ! It's a pity these pink scars on her foot._

 _I'm a lucky fellow._

 _And it seems that she's happy with you as well._

 _Yeah, why waiting?_

She came back with two grape-fruit juices.

"Voilà monsieur, votre jus de pamplemousse."

"Thank you Kate Flynn", Mike answered.

She lifted her eyebrows. "Uh?"

"Hmm, I think you'd better get used to it", he said observing her.

She frowned, "Uh?", she mumbled as she sat down.

"Katie, I want to marry you."

"Oh Mike…", she started but her voice faltered.

Kate swallowed and tears appeared in her eyes.

"Look what you are doing to me now", she said huskily as she wiped the tears from her cheeks."

"Do you want … or …?"

"Of course, you silly!", she said and she bent over to give him a passionate kiss.

When they broke apart Kate started laughing.

"What's up?", he asked surprised.

"Oh, nothing serious, I was just thinking about something 2Dads would say when he will know about us", she said laughing.

"What would that be?"

"For sure he's going to say that the HMAS Cairns became the family business of the Flynns!"

 **Paris**

After fourteen days in Provence, in the south of France, the couple returned to Paris to spend the last two days there before returning to Australia.

Kate sat at the edge of the bed in their hotel room. She hold her stomach and groaned slightly. Mike got awake and saw her sitting. He turned towards her, leaned on one elbow and rubbed her back.

"Katie what's the matter?", he asked softly.

"Darling, I don't know. Every morning, I feel like my stomach is in my throat as I've eaten something bad. And I know for sure I did not eat anything special last night. Smoked ham with melon as starter and grilled salmon as main dish.

"Did you have to throw up ?"

"For God's sake no! Queasy like now. It's over after I had a shower and then I can enjoy my breakfast."

"Hmm, yes I saw, you have a good appetite, especially all the things and mixtures you've eaten", he said rubbing his unshaved chin.

"Initially I thought I've eaten something rotten, then I thought it was a stomach infection but if it was that, I wouldn't have appetite."

"I know you suffered from it in the beginning of our holiday, but not every day. Why didn't you tell me that?", he asked.

She looked at him. "I didn't want to make you worried and I didn't want to ruin your holiday."

"Katie. You'll never change, do you? Once you didn't want to spoil my career. Now you're doing the same again. If you have problems, tell me. I'm there for you", he said rubbing her back.

She sighed and nodded. "Yeah, you're right. Sorry darling."

"There are also my period. I'm late. I know I'm very irregular, but now I'm getting concerned."

"Hmm."

"What _hmm_?", she asked as she looked at him.

"Maybe you can see a doctor here, before we went home. That will comfort you."

"But it's your last day too?"

"Never mind, we need to know."

"Yes, you're right. I'm going to have a shower and then we can still spend a few hours in the city before leaving".

At the front desk they asked where the nearest doctor was and went.

While she was at the doctor's, Mike was waiting not far away on terrace of a café. Not long after she came out. He observed her face and tried to find out what the situation was. He couldn't because she smiled when she saw him.

"What did he say?", he asked as she sat down.

"It's something that will pass. The stress of the last months with my foot. A bit overtired. We didn't take it easy here, isn't it?"

Mike shook his head.

"The good thing is that it's not bad, it's only temporary", she said with a mysterious smile.

Mike sighed and took her hand. "That's good. Very good. Let's enjoy our last day in Paris. We could made a walk along the Seine and look at these little book shops and maybe we could buy a small painting at that square near that big white church, Place du … what's its name again?"

"Place du Tertre."

"Yeah, that's it."

That evening the Quantas airplane took off and made a bow above the city to set course to the south. The lights of the "fasten seatbelts" faded.

"That was it honey, our adventure in France, a last view before we disappear in the clouds", Mike said as he looked outside to the huge city below.

Kate bent over him to look outside as well. He smiled when her hair brushed his face.

Kate sat back and grabbed her handbag.

"Mike?"

"Yes?"

"I've here a small souvenir for you from Paris", she said with a faint voice and she offered him a kind of a stick.

"A ballpoint?", he wondered with lifted eyebrows.

"Silly, read!", she corrected him.

"Pregnancy test. _Pregnancy test_?", he read surprised, looked at her and noticed that her eyes were glassy.

"Continue," she said softly.

"Positive! _No? You are?",_ he said baffled.

She nodded and said faintly, "Yes."

He bent over and gave her a kiss. "Thank you Katie. Thank you so much."

"Thank you too darling. I always wanted to have a child of you", Kate replied wiping a lonely tear from her cheek.

"You didn't say that yesterday?", he asked surprised.

"I told the doctor about the symptoms and he concluded that it could be this. He gave me the test to do it this morning. I didn't say anything because I didn't want to disappoint you if it was negative."

He sat back and they held hands.

"Now I understand your sick feeling, the nibbling and your strange tastes like smoked salmon with strawberries", he said laughing.

"Good, what now?", he asked seriously.

"Hmm, we have about 22 hours now to think about it before we're back home", she answered smiling.

He smiled.

 _The logical Kate is back._

All of a sudden Kate started laughing.

"Why are you laughing?", he asked.

"Oh, I was thinking about Nikki. She's going to freak out a tad when she'll learn that I'm pregnant before her. I want to see her face…"

 _To be continued._


	20. Chapter 20 Promotion

**Chapter 20 Promotion**

 **UK**

 **Richmond upon the Thames**

18 years later, at the beginning of April

It was a mixture of sun and clouds. The sun was making some efforts to warm up, but it was on early spring and the weather remained cold.

Near the river stood a cottage with a nice garden that was mainly maintained by the lady of the family who lived there.

Kate stood in front of the window in the living room and was busy to arrange flowers in a vase. The radio was playing in the background and she was humming the song. From where she stood she could glimpse the river. She wore a turtleneck sweater a ribbed velvet trousers and her hair was down.

"Ready!", she mumbled and she turned to have a wandering glance over the living room. It was furnished in a typically English style. On the walls hung some photographs of family, friends and also from ships, her frigate HMAS Darwin and the HMAS Hammersley.

Kate smiled, nodded and walked to the kitchen. She switched her slippers for a pair of old flat ankle boots that she always wore in the garden. She opened the door to the garden and got out.

Kate shivered in the cool April wind, made a face and mumbled, "Hmm, it's still far from summer yet".

She wandered through the garden, making a mental note where she was going to put flowers for the summer. At a certain point near the hedge, she stopped and looked at the river.

 _Where's the moment that we flew back from Paris to Australia? I had just discovered that I was pregnant and on the plane we were planning the birth of our child and our marriage. We both thought that we weren't going back to Europe for a long, long time._

 _But how wrong we were! Six months and the marriage later we found out that the Admiralty had put everything upside down. Some in Canberra got the bright idea that Captain Flynn was the perfect liaison officer between the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Navy and he was transferred to Whitehall in London, and I? I was also transferred to Whitehall as chief of the department. Thank God we were already married!_

 _And we returned to Europe! Faster than we thought! I thought I had said farewell to Paris, but now, I can no longer count how many times we went there, only a few hours away by Eurostar train._

 _Our son Archer was born here, although it was a risky exercise, making such a voyage being pregnant, but it worked, no troubles. It's weird, I'm born in England and he too. He's more English than Australian. Although we've been telling him for a long time that there would be the possibility for us to be transferred to Australia and that he should keep that in mind. Archer said nothing, but as a mother I felt that he hoped that this moment would never come._

 _One of the first things we did after we settled down here, was to go to see where I lived when I was a little girl. In the meanwhile my father had died and the manor and the lands were sold._

 _With lots of discussions and evidences I could gain a bit back from the heritage. Not that it was a fortune but it gave us a comfortable livestyle._

 _It was hard, standing in front of my father's grave and seeing that the manor where I lived is now in other hands. I always thought that I could no longer be emotional about my past, but I was wrong. I cried that day._

 _Being here also had its disadvantages. We lost contact with our friends in Cairns despite of the efforts we made, but in vain. In the beginning we kept contact with Nikki and Dylan by e-mail, greetings and birthday cards and Skype from time to time, but it stopped all of a sudden. I know that Nikki has left the patrol boat for a frigate and they have a daughter, Charlotte, who's almost the same age as our bugger. Since then nothing anymore. I agree, we've been too busy here as well. So it's also my fault._

In the meantime Archer came home. He entered and pulled his college jacket off and hung it in the wardrobe in the entrance hall. He walked further to the dining room, dropped his schoolbag, untied his tie and sniffed.

 _Hmm, it smells good in here!_

"Mum! I'm home", he said out loud, looking around. No answer.

Through the window he saw his mother in the garden. He dropped his tie on the table and walked to the kitchen to get out as well.

Slowly he walked towards his mother who was turning her back on him and grabbed her by the waist, "Mum I'm home!", he said.

"WOEHAA!"

Kate got pale and turned to him.

"Jeez Archer! Don't do that again. I almost had a cardiac arrest!", she said her heartbeats returning to normal.

"Sorry mum, but this opportunity was too good to pass up", he said sheepishly.

Kate returned him a cute smile, "How was your day at school dear?", she asked him, calmed down again.

 _I've to look up to watch him! He's as tall as his dad yet, moreover he's his perfect copy. Black hair and blue eyes. I wish I could wear heels. Now I feel so small between my men, but that stupid foot doesn't allow it anymore!_

He shrugged, "Oh, normal, like all the other days, and how was your day off mum?", he replied.

She gave him a smile, "Good! I've done what I had planned and now I was wandering in the garden", she said.

He grinned, "I saw that, you were millions of miles away."

"Indeed, I was dreaming. I was back in Cairns."

"Uh-hu, but mum, do you think that we have to go back?", he asked her.

Kate shrugged and she sensed a concern in his voice, "One day, they'll call us back but I don't know when."

"Yes, I know, but this is my country, I can't imagine to move to the other end of the world. All my friends are here", he said staring at the river.

"I know dear, I've always been aware of that, but it's a fact that we all have to face. You still have to build a future. Here or there. If it happens when you're older, then, even if is hard for me, it will be up to you to decide if you stay here or move with us to Australia", she said and he could sense a wave of sadness in her voice.

Archer nodded, "yes, I understand."

Meanwhile a set of dark clouds hid the sun and a few drops started to fall.

"Let's go inside before we're dripping wet", she said.

They turned and walked quickly to the terrace door. He noticed her limped walk.

"Mum, how's your foot? You're limping more than normal."

"It's a bad day today, moister I think", she said grimacing.

He shook his head, "You never got rid of it, huh?"

She sighed, "No darling, my foot is stuffed up, I can consider myself happy to have still my foot otherwise you should have wheeled me around."

They just got inside before it started raining. Kate pulled off her boots.

"Oh mum, why don't you wear socks? That will give you more warmth", he said as he saw her bare feet.

Kate threw him an annoyed glance, "I'm always wearing socks or stockings with my uniform. On my day off, I want to feel free", she replied.

He nodded and walked through leaving wet spots on the floor.

"Archer! For God's sake, how many times did I tell you already to pull off your shoes when you come from the garden?", Kate exclaimed irritated.

"Oh? Sorry mum", he said innocently.

"Sorry, sorry, you say it every time, but you don't listen. I've been telling you for almost 19 years!", she grumbled as she grabbed a floor cloth.

He smelt the aroma in the kitchen, "It smells good, what do we eat tonight?", he said trying to avoid the discussion.

"Irish stew, I prepared it this morning."

"Oh great! That's my favourite! ", he replied enthusiastically.

"Yeah I know and your father's too!", she replied with a smile as he picked up his schoolbag and his tie and walked to his bedroom. Kate cleaned the floor cloth and looked satisfied at the new clean floor again.

Two hours later Mike arrived as well. The staff car has left him at their doorstep.

"I'm home!", he mentioned as he walked inside.

"Hey! It smells good, what do we eat?", he added immediately.

Kate walked to him, "Hi darling!", she said as they kissed each other.

She poked him in his belly, "Men and their stomach, all the same. Your younger copy asked me just the same."

"Yeah, and?", he asked eagerly as he pulled off his jacket.

"Irish stew!"

"Wow!", he replied as enthusiastic as his son.

"Of course! On my day off, I can do something more."

Later on, they sat at the table to have their dinner. Mike started to take a few bites and said, "Honey, it's delicious, as usual".

"Thanks darling".

"I've some good and some bad news", he announced looking at Kate and Archer.

Kate scowled, "Yeah, I was already afraid of that. I noticed you were not in your normal state this evening."

He nodded, "I'll start with the good news. I've been promoted to commodore."

He looked at his wife and son.

"That's great dad! Then you're an admiral now!", Archer said joyously.

"Not so fast son, it's not exactly an admiral function, but I agree it's the Brass", he replied.

Kate looked at him suspiciously, "Darling I'm really happy for you, but there's a but, isn't it?"

He grimaced, "Indeed, they want that I'm going to make part of the Admiralty…. in Canberra".

Kate looked hurtfully at her husband with a don't-say-it's-true-glance.

"But,… that means… that we have to move… to Australia?!", Archer stammered disappointed.

"Yes, son, I'm afraid so", Mike said.

"Damn! I've all my friends here."

"May I stay here?", he asked desperately.

"That's not an option dear", Kate replied.

"We've been telling you for years that this would happen", she continued.

He nodded and looked sombrely at his plate, "Yes, I know, but I still hoped that it would never come".

"That really comes as a blow! And I?", Kate asked.

"Of course, you're transferring too, to my staff."

Kate sighed. "Hmm, when?"

"Rather soon. The Admiralty is setting up a house for us. From the moment that it's ready we can move."

All three were silent, processing the news.

Mike shook his head, "Pfft, it's going to be a mad house. Our belongings and furniture. Archer's studies, knowledge transfer, and lots more", he said lifting his eyebrows.

"A mad house?! To say the least!", Kate grumbled dryly.

"Hmm, but we have to come back to the first part, the promotion. It's already from tomorrow onwards! I've the document", he said with a smile. "We have to celebrate that, isn't it?"

She put her hand on his, "Yes darling, of course, we almost forget it due to these move problems."

 _To be continued_


	21. Chapter 21 Laura

**Chapter 21 Laura**

 **7 months later, October**

 **Canberra**

Kate and Mike had just finished another working day at the office and they arrived at home.

Kate stood in their bedroom and was quickly unbuttoning her shirt while toeing off her white shoes. She was looking eagerly at the tank top and the shorts that she had put on the bed that morning.

 _Finally summer! When summer was about to start in England we moved to the winter in Australia. Great! I've got enough of it now. I want to feel the warmth and the sun!_

After she has refreshed herself and dressed, Kate walked to the terrace where Archer was sitting in one of the terrace chairs.

He looked up and lifted his eyebrows.

"Wow, mum, it's years ago that I've seen you like this!", he said surprised.

"Finally it's summer, dear and I want to enjoy it completely. When I look back at our time in England we didn't have had real summers", she replied.

Kate sat down in the other chair, "What are you reading?", she asked him.

He showed her a leaflet, "Dad gave me this. The Navy organises for the children of its staff various activities depending on the age. He thought that I could find something in it."

"Uh-hu, did you find something?", Kate replied.

"Yes, for my age they organise a hiking tour in the bush land. I've read about it and I've heard quite a lot about it too and I wanted to see it also!', he said as he put down the leaflet.

"Isn't that a bit dangerous?", she asked frowning.

"Mum, we'll be in group and the group is leaded by two or three specialists depending of the size of the group. Moreover it's stated in the leaflet that there will be a medic as well, in case.. That would be great, then I can finally see the giant croc's!".

"Don't you dare!", she said lifting her finger.

"Oh mum, it will be not that bad", he said in defence.

"Ok, ok, but tell that to dad also!", she grumbled.

"What do I have to know?", Mike asked as he peeked his head outside.

"Dad, I found something in the leaflet that you gave me. A hiking tour in the bush land", Archer said waving the leaflet.

"Aha! Sounds good. Go for it, I should say. That's a nice introduction to Australia for a Pommy", he said with a grin.

"That's not funny dad, and don't forget that mum is a Pommy as well!", he returned with a grin.

Mike opened his mouth to say something, but Kate intervened first, "Watch out to what you're going to say Flynn!" and she gave him her fabulous stare.

He lifted his hands, "ok, ok, but remember that I'm a native of Australia", he said with a grin.

"An aboriginal, you mean", Kate returned with a smirk causing Mike to give her his famous CO stare.

 **December**

The sun stood still high in the sky although the afternoon came to an end and it was hot.

Kate has returned from the airport with Archer after the hiking tour in the bush land. She stopped the car on the ramp and they got out.

He was extremely enthusiast and he didn't stop talking. They walked to the trunk of the car to get out his backpack and Kate made a face.

"What's up mum?", he asked.

"Dear, it must have been very dry and hot there, because you stink!"

"Everyone stunk", he said with a broad smile.

"Oh great!", she replied rolling her eyes.

Mike had heard the car and walked into the garden along the house. "Ah! Our bushman is back!", he greeted his son.

"With a smell!", Kate grumbled.

"Hey dad!", he replied .

"How was your bush experience?", he asked.

"Great! I never thought it was like that and I've met nice people too! I..", he said enthusiastically but he was cut off by his mother.

"Archer, take a shower, because I'm getting sick of your sweat smell!", she grumbled while she ushered him gently inside.

Two hours later they sat at the table for supper.

Kate had just filled the dishes and she sat down as well.

"So dear, tell us something about your bush experience", she asked as she started to cut a piece of roasted pork on her plate.

He looked at his parents, "I've met a wonderful girl during that trip!", he said enthusiastically.

"Nice!", she replied, "and what's her name?", Kate asked.

"Laura! And she's one year younger than me", he said.

"Hmm and where does she live?", Mike asked.

"Also Sydney and her father has also an important function in the army just like the two of you", he said still enthusiastically.

"Ah? And what's he doing and what's his name?", Kate asked.

"He's a colonel of the SAS, Jim Roth", he said.

Kate's face became ashen and she dropped her fork on her plate with a thud.

"Mum?", Archer asked surprised.

"Are you kidding?", she asked dangerously quietly.

"Uh no mum, why?", Archer replied even more surprised.

"That's impossible! Jim can't have kids!", she replied bluntly.

Archer frowned, "Tha…that's right. Laura told me she has been adopted, but… but how … do you know that?", the boy asked completely baffled.

Kate's face became bright red now, "Jeez Archer, did you become fucking mad?! There are millions of Australian girls and you chose exactly the one from that idiot!", she raged.

She stood up, pushed back her chair, left the dining room furiously and walked towards the garden.

Archer looked in shock to his father who has witnessed the discussion.

"Dad? Did I say or did I do something wrong?", he asked unsure.

Mike sighed, "No son, not at all. It's only a very sad circumstance", he replied.

"Sorry dad, but I don't understand a damn of it!", Archer answered irritated.

He looked frowning at his son, "Give me a sec. First I've to see what mum is figuring out now", he said as he rose up from his chair.

He walked towards the garden, grimacing.

 _Can things never go straight for us for one time?_

Kate was turning her back on him with folded arms. It looked that she was looking at the flowers. Mike walked to her and placed his right hand on her lower back.

"Katie?", he said tenderly.

"Mike, leave me alone!", she grumbled still staring at the flowers.

"Katie, it's not going to work like this you know", he replied.

"What did I do to deserve this?", she asked as she turned to him.

Mike noticed tears in her eyes.

"I don't know", he replied doltish.

"It's not his fault. He didn't know about the Jim period. We've never told him", he continued.

"I know darling, I know! It's his life, I'm not allowed to order him to forget her, I even can't ask him", she said huskily for the last part.

"But how's possible? We are with 20 million in our country and Archie chooses exactly the daughter of the man whom I never want to see again!", she raged.

"I'm afraid that we have to accept that. We can only interfere when we see that the girl isn't doing the right things", he said.

Kate sighed and wiped her eyes.

"I can't image that one day I'll have to face Jim again, that I have to talk to him. Each time when I think to that period and the way he fooled me I'm having the urge to smash his head", she said hurtfully.

He wrapped his arms around her and she leaned against his chest.

"Listen honey, for sure it won't last too long. It's his first girlfriend and for sure, he'll get another one within a couple of weeks", he comforted her.

"Well, this time I want to believe at once what you just told me", Kate replied raising one eyebrow.

"Mum, dad? Are you coming? Our food is getting cold!", they heard Archer tell them from the doorstep.

"Yeah, we come!", Mike replied and he ushered Kate gently to the door.

"Honey, now we'll have to tell him what happened at that time", he whispered to her.

Kate made a face, "We cannot avoid it any longer, I'm afraid", she mumbled.

They entered the dining room and Kate looked at their plates.

"Cold!" she said disapprovingly. "I'll warm up the supper and I'll bring it back as soon as it's ready", she said as she started to collect the dishes.

Five minutes later they sat down again and Archer looked at his mother.

"Mum, what happened? Is there something wrong with Laura and her father?", he asked.

She looked at him, "Before dad I was married with Jim, but that was a mistake from the beginning. He was cheating me and I don't know how long it lasted. I divorced and married dad", she told.

He frowned, "Uh? Were you married before?", he stammered baffled.

"Yes, I was and I want to wipe out that period of my life", Kate said fiercely.

"And me? And is dad my real father or…", he asked unsure.

"Yes, dad is your father, absolutely!", Kate replied fiercely again.

"Ah, and uh, if it was a mistake, why did you marry him then? Did you know dad before him?", Archer asked, trying to tie up loose ends.

Kate sighed, "Yes, I knew dad before him and even for much longer and why we're not married earlier, that, that's something I'll tell you later ", she said.

"Hmm, I see", Archer replied, processing the entire situation.

"Sorry mum, I didn't know", he said.

"You don't have to be sorry. It's my fault. I should have told you about that part of my life, but I couldn't. I wanted to forget it, but in vain", Kate said dejected.

"What now?", Archer asked.

"It's your life, your girl, but don't expect me to see him or his wife!", she said angrily.

Archer looked quickly at his father, but he was extremely busy with the contents of his plate. He raised his eyebrows and continued eating.

 _To be continued_


	22. Chapter 22 Visiting old friends

**Chapter 22 Visiting old friends**

The situation calmed down and the Flynns continued their life although nothing was still the same anymore. Kate had a short fuse and both men tiptoed to avoid outbursts. It lasted one month until the day they had finally made an arrangement to see Nikki and her family in Sydney and they would spend the weekend there.

"Do you have the bottle of wine?", Kate yelled.

"Yeah, honey, I have it in my hands right now!", Mike yelled back from their office on the first floor.

"Put it in the suitcase, not in the hand luggage. Too much liquid isn't allowed", she yelled back.

She smiled when she heard a faint 'ok' from upstairs.

Meanwhile Archer had put down his sport bag in the entrance hall.

"Would it be possible that I skip the appointment of tonight so that I see Laura?", he asked.

"You can see Laura tomorrow, the whole day if you want to. We leave only in the evening. Not tonight! Nikki is expecting us", Kate said.

Archer made a face.

"Don't make a face. There will be Charlotte who's the same age as you. So you'll have someone of your age with whom to talk", she replied.

"Ok, ok, it was only a question", he replied with mixed feelings.

 _Hmm, could be good or extremely bad. I don't know what kind of sheila she is._

As soon as they left the airport, the Flynn family looked for their hotel. Having a quick shower to freshen up, they changed for the visit. Kate was looking at herself in the mirror of the hotel room. She wore a bright blue dress and her blonde curly hair fell cascading down her shoulders. Mike padded to her while buttoning his shirt.

"What's up honey? You have a face like a thundercloud", he said.

"It's doesn't fit! This dress requires to wear heels and look at me. I'm just a teenager who's going to her first ball", she said looking at her feet. Kate was wearing flat glossy blue sandals. The scars of the operation were still clearly visible.

He wrapped his arm around her tiny shoulders, "It's not that bad sweetie".

She broke apart. "Not that bad? In one way or another it's bad, otherwise you wouldn't have said that!", she said fiercely.

He waggled with his hands, "No, no, I didn't mean _that_! Sometimes you understand the words the way that you want to hear them!", he said for his defence.

She stepped fiercely to the suitcase, "To comfort myself, I've brought my high slingback heels as well. That will do", she said lifting them out of it.

"No, don't! You're going to kill yourself and you'll screw up your evening. As stubborn as you are, you've tried it time after time already and each time with the same result. A screwed up event with a painful foot, a mood below zero and you on your bare feet ", he replied sternly.

She looked gloomily at her shoes and have them dropped again in the suitcase, "Yeah, you're right. Damn! I'll never get used to it!", she grumbled disappointed. At that moment there was a knock on the door.

"Archie!", she said hurrying to the door.

"Come in dear", she said as she opened the door.

"Hey mum, dad! Are we ready?", the lad asked.

Thirty minutes later they stood in front of the Mulholland's house .

"They're living in her parents' house? That's weird. Normally you would expect that you start with something new", Kate noticed.

Mike shrugged, "I don't know honey, I suppose they have their reasons for it".

"Yeah, probably", Kate replied and she rang the bell.

An instant later the door was opened and they looked at Nikki's beaming face, but Kate gasped for air. "Hi Nikki!", she said joyously with a broad smile trying to hide that she was startled.

"Kate! Mike! Come in!", Nikki said enthusiastically as she stepped aside.

They embraced each other. "Nice!", Kate said as she pointed to Nikki dress with a flower pattern.

Nikki shrugged, "I can't help it. I'm always choosing flower dresses".

She got three kisses from Mike and he got three in return.

She gave Archer a huge smile, "You're Archer! Nice to see you in real life!", she said and she grabbed him by his shoulders and gave him a little shake.

"Hi, nice to meet you as well", Archer answer a bit overwhelmed by her enthusiasm.

Dylan was waiting for them in the living room and the same greetings were repeated and the bottle passed into Dylan's hands.

Kate greeted also their daughter, Charlotte, "Hi, my gosh, you're just your mother, but a bit taller", Kate said as she looked up at the girl.

"That's my dad's fault", the girl deadpanned with a grin.

Finally Archer and Charlotte stood facing each other.

"Hi".

"Hey".

"Tell me, mum hasn't been too exhuberant, I hope?", she whispered to him.

"Ah? Uh?", Archer stammered a bit surprised by the direct approach.

"Yes, it was", she replied rolling her eyes. "Sorry for that mate, but she's always like that. Sometimes it makes me nervous of it", Charlotte replied discouraged.

"Oh, it wasn't that bad, you know", he replied with a shrug.

"Oh! That's fine", she replied easily which broke the ice between the two youngsters.

"Ok, a drink!", they heard the heavy voice of Dylan.

They sat down and Nikki walked around with the appetizers.

Kate looked at her high heeled slippers and grimaced, "Nik, my heart winced when I see your shoes".

"Kate, I know your feeling, but see it like this. Be happy that you still have two feet and that you can walk", Nikki replied.

"Hmm, you sound like Mike", Kate replied rolling her eyes.

"Is it? But, I've got the impression you were startled to see me?", Nikki asked.

"Ah? Uh? Was it that obvious?", Kate replied blushing.

"Oh, I know you too well for that!", Nikki replied with a grin.

"Ah! Well, your hair, I … I didn't expect it", Kate replied.

Nikki sat down and took a sip from her glass, "I can imagine. They are grey. You have a frigate to run and when you're at home, you're monopolised by your family, then you don't have time anymore for that kind of things, so", she replied with a shrug and a smirk and she turned her head to Kate to show her grey hair tied in a ponytail.

"We've lost quickly contact with you when we were in England. Did we do something wrong?", Mike asked.

"Nope, not at all, just stupid circumstances", Dylan replied.

Nikki started to tell, "Charlotte was about six months old and one night there was a huge thunderstorm. We were lying in our bed, waiting until the storm was over. There was no way to fall asleep with all that noise. At a given moment there was a thunderclap, a flash and some crackling, all at the same moment. Dylan tried to switch on the light but there was no more electricity. The crackling became louder and we started to smell the burned stuff. Instantly the environment started to glow also. We jumped out of our bed. In no time the fire expanded. I could only grab my baby and rush out!"

"There was nothing that I could do anymore. The fire raged through our house due to the violence of the wind. I could only run for my life as well", Dylan added.

"And there we were, in the middle of the street, in the night, under the pouring rain, looking at our house burning like a match. We had nothing anymore. The only things we still had were his boxer's shorts and my short transparent nightdress. And with that rain, can you imagine? I felt like I stood there naked!", Nikki told rolling her eyes.

She looked at the three faces of the Flynns. They had a facial expression of disgust and amusement about the way she was telling how she stood there in the middle of the night.

"You may laugh, you know! Now we can as well, but at that time I would have killed you!", she said with a radiant smile.

Kate was the first to react. "Oh dear! That's horrible! And we didn't know!"

Nikki shrugged. "Honestly, we didn't have time for that. Firstly, keeping my baby dry! Secondly, getting dressed. Thirdly, one million other things. We lost everything, even the backup hard disk of our pc with all the addresses".

"That's why you're in your parents' house now?", Mike asked.

"Indeed. We've got the guest room in their house. We had plans enough, but we had to start from scratch again and at the same time I've got a posting as XO on the frigate that I was going to take over after six months, well then. Then you're happy with what you have and we stayed here", she said.

"And you both, did you do something exciting?", she asked gesturing with her fingers in the air by quoting the word 'exciting'.

Kate looked at Mike and he shrugged, "No, maybe boring, but not for us. We've travelled a lot when we were free".

"Only my entrance in the UK was rotten", Kate said after taking a sip.

"Ah! Tell us", Nikki replied enthusiastically knowing that there was going to come a story that only Kate was able to overcome.

"I've made two mistakes back then, one after another. First, I was too occupied with my pregnancy. I was heavy pregnant and I was too much busy with our move to London. A thousand and one things had to be arranged. Due to that I, or better, we forgot that it was winter in Europe. We started our travel, Mike in a shirt with short sleeves and I in a wide and thin summer dress with sandals. So it happened, when we arrived at Heathrow, that it was one of the rarest winter days in London with melting snow and cold, 2° Celsius and there I was, in my thin dress hurrying for the cab and for the hotel, but no. There was a demonstration in the city that caused a huge traffic jam. Unfortunately, the streets where we had to be were closed and we had to walk a small mile to go to our hotel. I can assure you that my toes were blue! I was frozen and the next morning I got up with an enormous cold and a headache. But, I was so stubborn that I wanted to meet the people of our department. I went to the office, but it was something I would rather not do. The appearance I made there was terrible. A wide loose shirt over my big belly, sneezing, sniffing, puffy and tearful red eyes. No they looked at me as if I was a zombie. The rest of the week I was confined to bed", she said rolling her eyes.

Nikki laughed, "Oh dear, it's really it pity that I haven't seen that. That was to be hilarious!".

"I didn't feel hilarious at that moment", Kate mumbled.

"How did it go on your side?", Mike asked Nikki and Dylan.

Nikki shrugged, "I was transferred to the HMAS Melbourne as XO. Initially I was really pissed off because I lost my boat and I was wondering what I had done wrong, but quickly I discovered that I had to manage a tad more men and that I had to keep a huge ship running. My CO experience on the Hammersley helped quite a lot. The commander was about to retire and that was my time of learning, to get used to that kind of ships. After the second year, the CO retired. I was promoted and became the CO of the Melbourne, which I'm still today.

"I'm happy for you Nik, that's quite an achievement, being captain of a frigate!", Kate said sipping the wine.

Nikki sighed, "Every day I'm hoping that they won't take it away from me. The Melbourne is my second home. "

"Yeah, I can understand you. I felt the same way as you ", Kate replied.

She chuckled, "You have to see my cabin. I've made it as homely as could be. I even put a rug in it."

They laughed, imagining how Nikki turned a boring Navy cabin into a living room.

"And you?", Kate asked as she noticed that Dylan was quiet.

"Oh, me?", he said lighthearted, "I was sent to Afghanistan at the same time that Nik was sent to the Melbourne. Quite a while later I got a shore posting in Sydney due to an injury", he said plainly.

Nikki looked at him bewildered, "An injury? Oh you idiot! You were nearly killed!", she exclaimed. She stood up and hurried in tears to the kitchen.

"Mum!", Charlotte said and followed her mother to the kitchen.

The Flynns looked questioningly at each other, then at Dylan. An awkward silence reigned in the room.

"What's going on mate?", Mike asked.

Dylan shrugged and sighed, "A suicidal terrorist. He blew himself with a truck on the market square where we were. I've got my share as well and I was evacuated back home. After that, I got definitely a shore posting. No more active service", he told quietly.

Kate covered her mouth, "Oh my Gosh!"

Meanwhile Nikki and Charlotte were back in the living room and sat down again.

"I've told them Nik", he said looking at her.

She nodded, "Did you also tell them that you've been in a coma for three months and that you still beep when you walk through the metal detection on the airport?", she asked sharply.

"Oh Gosh!", Kate repeated.

Dylan scratched his head.

Nikki looked at her friends determinedly, "They've never dared to say how many fragments they've pulled out of his body, but there're still some they can't remove. So, every time when we fly it's the same show. It was the worst period of my life, the new command, a little child and a man in coma. From then on, I became grey! ", she said but Dylan cut her off.

"That's the reason why I may not walk outside when it rains, otherwise I rust!", he said.

Nikki whipped her head in direction of her husband and her brown eyes were shoting bullets, "I'll talk to ou later on!", she grumbled.

"Come on mum! Not now!", Charlotte said as she stood up to offer their guests the appetisers, "Another one?"

The situation calmed down and after the drinks, Nikki ushered them to the table. The youngsters sat one facing the other and while the others started to talk about ships and former experiences, they had their own conversation.

"How's London?", she asked Archer.

"I grew up there. How is it? Hard to say when it was your home…", he started to tell while Charlotte drank in every word that he spoke.

"… it's different from Paris", he said.

"Oh no! You also went to Paris!", she exclaimed and she got a reprimand of her mother. "Charlie, don't yell!"

"Charlie?", he wondered.

"Yeah, they call me like that", she said.

"Charming!", he replied.

"And then! Paris?", she insisted ignoring his compliment.

"Oh? I think I already went there seven times", he deadpanned with a shrug.

"Oh bugger! Seven times! And I can only dream about it!", she exclaimed.

"Charlotte, language!", Nikki intervened fiercely.

"Yes mum", she replied realising she had overstepped the boundaries.

"And how is it?", she asked eagerly.

"Gosh! Where to start?", he said scratching his head.

A couple of hours later they left. A taxi brought them back to their hotel and when the couple entered their hotel room Kate plopped on the bed. She lay sprawled on it, arms outspread. "Pfft, they were extremely generous with the wine, I feel a bit tipsy", Kate said with difficultly, eyes closed.

Mike frowned, "Yeah, there was too much of everything, drinks, food. I admit that I'm not very sober either."

"We'll sleep well", Kate said while toeing off her sandals. "Have you observed Archie and Charlotte?", she asked as she looked at her husband who was pulling off his shirt.

"Yeah,I thought they seemed to get along well", he replied.

"Hmm, it was also my idea."

 _To be continued_


	23. Chapter 23 Charlotte

**Chapter 23 Charlotte**

Weeks passed and the mood in the Flynns' house improved a bit. Since their visit to the Mulhollands Kate had often had long phone calls with Nikki when she was ashore. If she was at sea, they exchanged e-mails. Kate remained more or less moody because she couldn't get used to the idea of still having to face Jim one day.

One day she was busy somewhere in the house and Mike was reading a book in the living room. Archer sat in the opposite club chair and was leafing through a magazine. His mobile lay on the table and it started to buzz. Nothing special, but Archer didn't pick up the call. He looked at it and put it back on the table. Mike noticed his behaviour looking at him over his book. Archer stood up and padded to the kitchen. While he was in the kitchen, the mobile showed an incoming text. Mike frowned and stood up to look at the display of the device and saw the name, 'Laura'.

He also walked to the kitchen to find Archer, busy opening a bottle of coke.

"Son, I think we've to talk", he said.

"Yeah?", Archer answered.

"I saw that you didn't pick up your mobile, but you've looked who was calling. You left to go to the kitchen and your mobile gave the signal for an incoming message. I found it so strange that I looked at the display", Mike said and he showed him his own mobile displaying 'Laura'.

"Dad, please, it's private!", he replied irritated.

He gave his son his senior officer's stare, "Archer, how's your relation with Laura?".

Archer shrugged.

At the background, Mike heard Kate humming a song.

 _Hmm, it's been quite a while ago since I heard her singing!_

"No, I want to know it! If you like someone, then you're not ignoring the other one. So, what's going on?", he said sternly.

Archer didn't know anymore where to go nor what to do and was trying to find a way out.

"Dad, uh, it's not what I expected that it was going to be. There are too much differences in opinions and the things she does which I don't like. And she smokes!", he said.

"And what are your plans?"

He shrugged, "Dunno. If I no longer have contact with her, it will fade away", Archer said.

"No son, that's not ok. You're dealing with a human being not with a thing. Ignoring someone will not solve the problem, it will create one on top of it. And I'm well placed to know", Mike said to his son.

Archer looked annoyed at his father, "How can you know that?"

"Because you're acting like I've done when I was young and I've also ignored your mother and it caused us a lot of troubles afterwards."

All of a sudden, he was interested. "You've ignored mum?! And when?", he asked baffled.

"I had a relation with her long before we married. I was a lieutenant and she a midshipman."

Archer was flabbergasted, "Pardon?!"

"Indeed. I was teacher at the ADFA and mum was one of the students. I fell immediately for her and after a few talks we've had a first date. Hmm, a date, that's a big word. It was just a dinner at the other end of the city where no one could recognise us", Mike said with a grin.

"I'm baffled!", Archer said, "Since two months it's one surprise after another. This is what mum meant some time ago that you knew each other for much longer?"

"Yeah, indeed, but in fact it's mum. She doesn't want to be remembered to the fact that I left her".

"Uh, you left her?", he asked astonished.

"Well, it was a bit like your situation. After several dates, I discovered that she had high expectations of a career in the Navy. It was more than only a family and I also wanted to make a career. Both couldn't be matched, but how to explain? I thought if I disappeared the problem would be solved. That went well for years, but one day I was faced with my fault. Mum became my executive officer. For a moment I really thought she was going to tear my head off my body. After all I had better said what I had thought back then. She was spiteful and made sneaky comments on everything I asked or suggested outside the ship. Bit by bit this has improved, but I should have spoken and I didn't do it. Due to my stupidity I chased her away and threw her into Jim Roth's arms and for the rest, you already know. Therefore speak to Laura. Explain what's wrong, but mind that you don't blame her. She can't help it if you both have different way of looking at things. Take it for you, that's the most diplomatic."

He made a face, "That's not easy dad!".

"No son, I know, but life is not always easy! But, it's the honest way".

Meanwhile Kate passed by and heard them talking.

"Hey guys, what are you busy with?"

"A chat between men", Mike answered.

Kate chuckled, "Hmm, highly interesting…" and walked further.

He gave his son a short nod, "You know what you have to do."

Archer looked doubtfully at his father, "Yes dad".

"And don't wait too long, otherwise it will be worse", he said before he walked away.

Later that day, it was already evening, Mike crossed his son in the entrance hall. "And?", he asked him.

"I've called her and uh… she seemed to understand it. She had also already noticed my different opinions. We said to ourselves that it was okay and that we would remain in contact as friends", he said.

"Good job son! You've done better than I. But, be honest, have you already someone else in mind?", Mike asked with narrowed eyes.

"Huh? Uh… aah… no. No, nobody", he replied hesitantly.

"Ok, it's not bad if you had someone else in mind", Mike replied and continued his walk, slightly frowning.

 _I don't believe him! His reaction was too hesitantly. Is that bad? No. We'll hear it when the time is ripe._

He found Kate in the laundry room and grabbed her by the waist.

"Whooha! Jeez Mike! Next time, announce yourself! I almost jumped into the washing machine!", she replied frightened.

"Sorry honey, but I'm going to make your day", he whispered in her ear.

"Ah?! And what would that be?", Kate replied as she turned to him.

"Archer has put an end to his relation with Laura".

"Really?!", she asked in disbelief.

"Yes, it is. I saw signs and I felt that the relation was no longer very good. I convinced him to call her and not to make the Mike Flynn fault", Mike said.

Kate lifted one eyebrow, "Coffee?", she asked with a smirk on her face.

"Ah, uh.. yeah, sort of", he mumbled.

Months passed and Mike and Kate settled well in their new functions in Canberra. They had often contact with Nikki and Dylan and they saw each other when she was ashore. On the other hand, Kate and Nikki exchanged e-mails several times a week about daily things.

And Archer? He had some friends and travelled from time to time by train to Sydney to join them on weekends.

During the twilight of a Saturday evening Kate called Nikki.

"Mulholland speaking", she heard on the other end of the line.

"Hey Nik, it's me. How are you?", Kate replied.

"I'm fine! And you?", Nikki asked rather dully.

"Oh, fine, we're doing well here, although the sea is a bit too far away. I'm still hoping to get closer to it. The bases of Sydney would be fine", Kate answered.

"I can understand", Nikki replied as dully as before and it made Kate frowning.

"How was your last voyage?", Kate asked still thinking about the mood of her friend.

 _Maybe she has had a fight with Dylan?_

"It was ok."

Kate looked baffled at her mobile.

 _What the hell is she up to?_

"Kate?", Nikki asked scarily serious.

"Yes?", she answered hesitantly.

"What have we done wrong?", she asked and Kate could feel a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Wha…what do you mean?"

"You keep your mouth shut and you talk about this and that but you never broach the subject. Did Canberra become the Ivory Tower? It's always Nikki and Dylan, not?"

Kate got irritated as well.

"Listen Nik, I don't understand a damn of what you're saying. You're busy to slam around my ears and I don't even know the reason! Can you for God's sake be clear!", she snapped back.

"Archer and Charlie. He's welcome here, he sleeps here, but Charlie never got an invitation to come to you! Do you have a problem with the fact that our daughter is dating your son?", she asked coldly.

"Uh? Is Archie dating Charlotte?", Kate asked baffled.

"I just told you!", Nikki replied annoyed.

"He…he didn't tell us about it. During the weekends he can't be quick enough to leave the house to see friends in Sydney", Kate said still baffled.

"Well, these friends are Charlie", Nikki deadpanned.

"Ok, a sec, please", Kate said and she put down her mobile.

"Archer bugger! Why can you never say something?! I'll kill you! Aaaargh!", she yelled clenching her fists. Kate took a few deep breaths and grabbed her mobile again.

"Sorry Nik, I had to vent", she said.

"Yeah, that was obvious", she deadpanned.

"Sorry Nik, really, sorry, sorry, sorry. I wasn't aware of this." , Kate said.

"I've heard that", she deadpanned again.

"You know me, uh? If I had known then I would have already invited her. He's just like his father. A good guy, but when it comes to emotions, then he pulls up walls and you can't get anything out of him. Out of both in fact!", Kate said hurtfully.

"Kate, I believe you. It surprised me already and I couldn't believe it, but I couldn't keep my mouth shut anymore. I had to know", Nikki replied.

"Nik, sorry again, I feel so ashamed now!".

"It's ok Kate, no worries. For us it's also good to know with who she's dating and hopefully it becomes something. Can you imagine already? You and I, family?", Nikki said with a grin.

"Family? Who would have thought that?", Kate replied, but she heard something.

"Nik, I've to end the call, Mike has just arrived and I need to tell him something"

"Yeah, I do believe that! Ok, I'll leave you", Nikki replied and they ended the call.

"Honey, I'm home!", she heard him saying.

"Hi darling, you know what?", Kate said as she walked towards him to greet him with a kiss.

"No, what?"

"Just listen, because I'm going to tell you something amazing…"

"Uh?"

 _To be continued_


	24. Chapter 24 Exit Kate Roth

**Chapter 24 Exit Kate Roth**

11 years later in a nice villa above Sydney with a sea view...

Mike and Kate are retired for a long time. From the moment that Mike retired, she resigned and they moved definitely to Sydney where they bought the villa.

Archer found in Charlotte the woman of his life and they married. Initially he wanted to join the Navy, but Charlotte convinced him to chose something else. She reminded him what happened to their parents. He wasn't that keen on such a situation and he looked further. Finally he became an architect and she a marketing consultant.

Peter Flynn, their five years old son wandered through his grandparents' house. He stopped at the door of Mike and Kate's bedroom. It was open. He slipped inside and walked to the dresser where Kate kept her Navy accessories. He was always interested in these things. He liked to put on granny's hat or granddad's visor cap. Maybe he could see something new or he could see the famous sword that his grandmother received at the Navy school. He pulled open the drawer, but he wasn't aware that Kate was looking at him. He saw her hat. When he took it out of the drawer a greyish strip with black characters fell on the ground.

"You're really interested in the Navy, huh dear?", she asked.

The little one was startled. "Granny!", he mumbled.

At the same moment Charlie poked her head inside and saw what happened. She stepped hastily inside. "Peter! You little bugger! How often do I have to tell you that you have to stay out of Granny's drawers! You have to ask for something. Understood?", she reprimanded him.

The boy dropped his eyes, "Sorry mummy", he mumbled.

Meanwhile, Kate bent over and grabbed the strip and read the words.

 **Kate Roth**

She covered her mouth and mumbled, "Oh my Gosh!"

Charlie looked worried at her mother-in-law, "Mum, you're ok?"

Kate stared at the strip and Charlie took it over from her and read the name.

"Mum, why did you keep this? It reminds you of a bad time."

Kate looked questioningly at the younger version of Nikki, "Do you know about this?"

"Of course I do. Archie told me. We have no secrets for each other. That's something he learned from the mistakes you made both. But why did you keep this?"

Kate shrugged, "I don't know. I didn't want to keep it. There's Velcro at the back of it. Probably it stuck to something else".

Charlie nodded, "Probably, yeah", she said and took over the strip from Kate. "I'm going to release you from that name forever".

She walked to the kitchen and dropped it in the dustbin, saying faintly, "Bye bye Roth!"

 **The End**


End file.
